Lifeline
by spacepie
Summary: The only thing Sasuke has left is the hope that they, The One, don't get tired of trying. Because right now, he's all ruined. He's all fucked up. But he doesn't need your pity. Which is good, because Naruto's got none left to give.
1. Chapter 1

It's early days in this fic, but it'll be narusasunaru. A bit of everything. Warnings for swearing and drug use. I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.

Xxxxx

A pale hand lay limp over the side of the couch, fingertips trailing on the dark carpet. They twitched and then groped around for a few moments before grasping a slim phone, bringing it into the owners line of sight. Sasuke brought his left hand to his forehead, massaging his temples as he noted the time on his phone and the messages displayed on the bright screen.

"Sakura is just worried about you." A voice drifted from the archway across the room.

"Sakura spends too much of her time on useless things." Sasuke responded smoothly, transferring his phone to the coffee table and dragging his hands down his pale face. He was supposed to meet her for lunch in town, but her lunch break was due to start in half an hour and he knew he wouldn't make it.

"You shouldn't cancel on her. She's just worried about you." The man repeated, voice low.

"I won't make it in time anyway." He argued, his hands resting on his abdomen as he glared at the man across the room. His dark eyes were sharp, despite the dark circles beneath them.

Itachi sighed. "At least message her." He turned and disappeared down the hall.

Sasuke's face drew down into a glare as he pushed himself into a sitting position and snatched the phone from the coffee table, shooting off a quick message. He wanted to throw it back down onto the glass table in front of him, but instead stood and shoved it into the back pocket of his jeans, striding over to the kitchen. He filled the kettle and flicked it on, spooning coffee granules into a cup as his phone started vibrating. He drew it out and stared at the screen, waiting for it to stop ringing as he leaned against the counter. The kettle whistled and the phone stopped, only to start up again moments later. He filled his cup and stirred, petulantly punching the answer button and bringing it to his ear.

"What?"

"Sasuke, are you okay?" A concerned voice buzzed down the line. Sasuke could imagine the look on her face as he listened to her voice.

"I told you I'm fine. I slept in." He continued stirring his coffee, before removing the spoon and placing it in the sink.

"You slept in? That's not like you." He glared at the opposite wall, mouth downturned and angry.

"Hn. I had a late night." Sakura sighed down the phone.

"Are you sure you can't meet me for lunch? The air might do you good, I can take a later lunch and we can go to the pub on the corner."

"Another day." He announced, picking up his coffee and placing it at the table. He seated himself across from it and took a sip. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Sasuk-" He hung up the phone, placing it on the table across from him. His temples throbbed and he massaged them with long fingers, his head down. He took a sip of his drink, burning his tongue slightly. He pressed it against the roof of his mouth.

"You need to take better care of yourself. " A deep voice chastised from the kitchen entrance.

"I seem to be doing okay so far." Sasuke muttered, dark eyes hooded.

"You could be doing better."

"Why are you even here?" Sasuke growled, glaring dangerously at Itachi. His tone rose as his fist hit the table,shaking the coffee cup. "Just get the fuck out of my apartment."

Itachi stared at him for a moment before turning and exiting the room. Sasuke let his fist unfold and sat still, listening to the noises around him. He could hear the traffic from the roads below his window, but the air in his apartment was still and stagnant.

"Itachi." He growled, fingers splayed on the wood of the table. A few moments of silence passed and he pushed himself up from the table, striding through the apartment. He checked each room, not finding his brother in any of them. "Itachi!" He snapped louder, wrenching the front door of his apartment open and glaring down the corridor. His hair was dark and limp around his face as he scanned the space around him.

He heard muttering down the way and he watched as a man with brunet hair picked up a cardboard box from a small pile and carried it through the open door of another apartment.

Sasuke grunted and slammed the door shut, retreating into his bathroom to shower. The heat of the water helped his head clear, and he felt better once he emerged, towel around his waist. He used a pale hand to wipe the steam from the mirror and stared at his reflection. His eyes looked sharp and alert. Angry. His eyebrows drew downward and he ran a hand over his face. He felt a tremor run through it, and he cursed inwardly.

He entered his bedroom and dressed quickly, pulling a long sleeve t-shirt and trousers on swiftly before running a hand through his dark hair. He dumped the damp towel into his washing basket before putting on a pair of socks and wandering into his front room. He crossed to the bookcase, opening the wooden box on the shelf directly in front of him and pulling a white bottle out. A few pills rattled against the case as he popped the lid and tipped one into his waiting palm. He noted the two left and snapped the lid shut, placed it back in the box. He crossed to the sofa and lowered himself onto the cushions. The pestle and mortar was still on the coffee table from a couple of days ago, so he placed the pill in and proceeded to grind it into dust. He tipped it out used one of his business cards to position it in a tidy line, before rolling a ten pound note. He lent down and heard a tut. He froze and looked up, his hand shaking slightly.

"It's not okay to keep letting yourself in here." Sasuke bit out, leaning back into the blue cushions.

"Someone's got to keep an eye on you. You should eat something." Itachi looked down at the coffee table, eyes disappointed "I thought you weren't going to do that any more, Sasuke." He chastised mildly, seating himself in the arm chair and nodding at the powder.

"I wasn't. And now I am. I'm capable of making my own decisions." He levelled a look at Itachi, who sighed.

"I care about you, I don't want you doing that here."

"Hn." Sasuke felt a dangerous laugh float up his throat, dark and malicious. "Okay." He rose from the couch and stalked out of the room. He grabbed his coat and shoes and stuffed his keys and phone along with his wallet into his pockets, pulling the front door open and slamming it behind him.

The corridor was bright and it hurt his eyes.

He strode towards the elevator, hands in the pockets of his coat. He passed the open door he'd noticed earlier and saw the back of the same brunet.

"Where do you want this box?" He heard the man say as he passed by. He heard the muffle of someone's reply as he pushed the button to signal the elevator. He waited a few moments, staring ahead before the elevator let out a ding to signal it's arrival, and as the doors opened Sasuke stepped forward.

"Wait! Can you hold-" The brunet appeared in Sasuke's peripheral, hand outstretched as he marched forward hurriedly. Sasuke pressed the button for the bottom floor, ignoring the protests of the other person.

"Dick!" Was shouted and Sasuke snorted lightly as the elevator drifted from the tenth to the ground floor. He stepped out into the lobby and then through the large glass doors into the November afternoon. The wind whipped haphazardly around him, throwing a rush of leaves down the street. He braced against the cold as he walked, pulling the collar of his coat up around him.

Sticking his hand out he hailed a black cab and gave the driver Karin's address before burying himself in the warmth of the back seat. Karin's was a brief journey across London and Sasuke settled in for the ride.

Xxxxx

"Well your neighbour's a grade A cock, congratulations." Kiba grumbled as he wandered back into the apartment, carrying two duffel bags. He dumped them in the entrance to the sitting room and collapsed onto the carpet. "That's all of it." He stretched and yawned.

The blond strode in from the kitchen and handed Kiba a bottle of beer. "Thank fuck." He flopped down next to him and plucked the television remote up from the carpet and pointed it at the screen, turning it on.

Whiskered cheeks stretched into a wide grin as he thumped Kiba lightly on the shoulder. "Thanks for your help."

"It wasn't free, it's your round at the pub tonight." Naruto groaned as he flopped backwards.

Xxxxx

Sasuke knocked persistently on the heavy wooden front door, shivering in the wind. He felt eyes on him. The sun was low in the sky but it was still early, not even 5o'clock. He glanced over his shoulder as a man passed by, long black coat shrouding his figure. Eyes locked briefly with his. Sasuke stiffened and pounded on the door again, face forward.

He heard heavy footsteps approach the door before it was wrenched open. "Would you stop fucking poundi- Sasuke?"

"Let me in." He demanded, glancing over his shoulder. She moved aside and motioned him in, surveying the street before shutting the door. Sasuke walked through her house, entering the living room, Karin hot on his heels.

"You didn't say you were coming, are you low?" He was sat on the couch, coat open but not off. There was a coffee table in front of the couch and Karin sat kneeling on the opposite side, hands working swiftly as she tipped two pills out of a bottle.

"Hn." He didn't elaborate that his apartment felt suffocating and that Itachi never seemed to leave. Karin readied everything quickly before proffering two neat lines in Sasuke's direction. She licked her lips and gazed at him through hooded eyes. "You can't stay, Suigetsu is coming over soon." She nodded at the lines before them. "Or I can tell him something came up. He can come tomorrow?" She licked her lips and cocked her head lazily to the side, watching as Sasuke lent forward and inhaled the white powder through his nose. His mouth hung open slightly as he fell backwards, eyes closing. He heard a sharp intake and felt the couch dip as Karin nestled into his side, long legs pulled beneath her. He made no move towards her, but she needed no encouragement. He said nothing as his mind fell into a haze, everything numbing from the outside in, cloudy and preferable.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, cosy and hidden.

"What the fuck!" A sudden rush of cold air beside him alerted him to Karin having left his side. He blinked bleary eyes open and saw Karin slumped on the floor in front of Suigetsu, arms stretching upwards towards him. "I told you he's not to come here!" The sharp toothed man stomped forward as Karin snagged hold of his arm.

"He's a friend! I just gave him the stuff, you didn't see, he needed it!" She defended resolutely, pulling herself to her feet. "It's not your fucking choice who I have over here."

"He's enabling you! You don't need shit like this Karin!" Sasuke opened his mouth to retort that Karin was enabling him, not the other way around, but his tongue felt heavy. "Get the fuck out." The pale haired man demanded, Karin pleading with him desperately. "I'll call the fucking police."

Sasuke glared as he rose from the couch, but it was half-hearted. He felt better, his mind was warmer and calmer. He wasn't in the mood for a fight, he'd got what he wanted.

Without a word to either of them he left the house, the sound of the pair arguing sealed off as he shut the front door. He held his hand out in front of him and noted how steady it was. He sighed minutely and hailed a cab home.

Xxxxx

He'd had a surprisingly peaceful night. Itachi had stayed away and Sasuke felt better for it, preferring the quiet of his apartment. He rounded the street corner, heading for the coffee shop. There was a Costa closer to his work building that he preferred, but they were renovating.

He had headphones in, but he removed them as he entered the premises, turning the music off on his phone. A blue scarf was wound securely around his neck and he loosened it as he joined the end of the line, hands finding their place back in his pockets.

"Hi, what can I get you?" A brunette asked him, peering around the till.

"Cappuccino, medium, take away." Sasuke uttered, producing his wallet. The girl scribbled his order onto the cup and asked for his name without looking up. She passed his cup down and took his payment, Sasuke moving further into the shop to wait for his order.

"Yaaaaaaaaah!" A guttural scream rampaged from behind the barista's station, the seated customers startled and looking around. Sasuke frowned, taking a step back.

"Shikamaru! I can't shut the thing off, bloody give me a hand here!" The blond man bounced around, clutching his right hand in his left and gesturing madly at the steam the machine was emitting.

"Jeez Naruto." Was the exasperated response, a man who could only be Shikamaru coming forward and turning off the machine. A couple of female customers giggled, others tutting at the drama.

"We need a new machine! This one is stiff as balls!" Naruto whinged, cradling his scalded hand. Sasuke took in the man's unruly blond hair and bright blue eyes, tinged with pain.

"I've told you before not to wind it too far, Naruto!" Shikamaru chastised, muttering as he fiddled with the machine. Naruto stood waving his wounded hand around, trying to cool it down, a pained frown on his face.

"Run it under the cold water." Sasuke ordered, stepping forward. The occupants of the shop continued their previous chatter. Sasuke found himself peering around the coffee machine, watching the blond hop about in pain.

"Oi! Don't tell me what to do!" Naruto hollered, glaring at Sasuke whilst bounding towards the sink to his left and jamming his hand under the cold spray. He let out a sigh of relief, his face tinged red with the pain. He pouted, staring straight ahead, but Sasuke could see his shoulders relax slightly. Sasuke's eyebrows were drawn together as he glared at the back of the other guys head.

"You're so loud Naruto." Shikamaru complained, finishing off Sasuke's drink order. "Sorry about that." He drawled, passing Sasuke his drink.

"Hn." Sasuke placed the cardboard cup in a drinks holder and exited the shop, heading for his work building. Naruto glanced over his shoulder and watched him leave.

Xxxxx

"Well you're not going to be much use to us for the rest of the day." Shizune stated, looking at Naruto's hand and tutting. She was lent against her desk in the back office, Naruto standing sheepishly by the closed door.

He gave a sunny grin, cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. He ruffled his blond hair with his good hand and gave a shrug. "Sorry Shizune, it was an accident."

"You might as well go home." She waved a hand dismissively at his apology and rounded her desk to sit down. "It's not too bad but I imagine it'll be sore for a few days. Shikamaru logged it in the incident book?"

Naruto nodded as he opened the door and backed out, "I'll keep you updated!" He announced, waving as he went. He strode down the short corridor to the employees room, pulling the tie on his apron and slinging it over his head. He stuffed it in his locker, wincing as he shrugged into his jacket and swapped his shoes for sneakers. He put his phone in his pocket as Shikamaru peered round the door.

"Shizune sent you home." He stated.

"Lucky me." Naruto pursed his lips as he rummaged through his locker. "Now I've got no excuse not to start uni work." He pondered, mostly to himself. "Are you coming to my house warming on Friday?" Naruto questioned,

Shikamaru sighed. "Sure. I'd better get back to the shop floor. It's just TenTen and Shino out there." Shikamaru headed back out front, Naruto close behind. Naruto waved as he left, stepping out into the breeze and heading for the bus stop home.

Xxxxx

Naruto dug through the cardboard boxes in his kitchen, growling when he couldn't find what he was looking for. He'd spent the majority of his day on a bean bag in his front room, laptop open on word as he tapped out his coursework. He felt a cup ramen was a suitable reward, however apparently the contents of his kitchen didn't agree.

"What the fuck, man?" He grumbled, giving up and placing the box back on the floor. He glanced at his watch, noting the time. "Damn." He strode into the living room, snatching up his jacket and flipping shut his laptop lid as he passed. He winced slightly as he pushed his injured hand into his coat. He shrugged it the rest of the way on and exited the apartment, locking the front door. He heard the elevator doors shut and looked up as he pocketed his keys. A man with dark hair was walking towards him, scarf wound tightly, keys in his hands.

Naruto raised his hand in a wave, jingling his own keys. "I just moved in across the hall, I guess we're neighbours." The man arched an eyebrow, dark eyes narrow and unfriendly.

Naruto noted the brief look of recognition in the others eyes. "We've met." Sasuke dead panned, striding passed him and heading for his own front door. Naruto dropped his hand and frowned, turning and following the other with his eyes.

"I think I would have remembered." He stated, lips pursing slightly at the man's unfriendly attitude.

Sasuke inserted his key into the door, turning it in one swift movement before glancing back at Naruto and pushing the door open.

"Ah!" Naruto muttered, eyes lighting up as he remembered the dark haired man. He heard the other slam his door roughly. Naruto winced at the noise. He glanced at the elevator, then swung around and headed for the other's front door. He knocked loudly and took a step back. He waited, then knocked again.

The door was wrenched open.

"What."

"I'm Naruto."

"I know, you were wearing a name tag." Sasuke muttered, moving to close the door.

"Don't be a bastard. What's your name?" Naruto questioned, holding the door open with his good hand. Sasuke glared at him.

"Get your hand off my door." He ordered.

"Tell me your name and I will." Naruto pouted slightly, blue eyes stubborn. Sasuke let out an annoyed sigh and pushed harshly, jarring Naruto's hand as the door clicked shut. Naruto fumed and pounded on the door a few more times, to no avail. "Oi! You absolute bastard!" He shouted, waiting a moment for a response before turning on his heel and marching down the corridor to the lift. He pushed the button angrily, eyes glaring holes into the elevator doors.

Xxxxx

I look forward to any feedback!


	2. Chapter 2

I'll be trying to update regularly. I, sadly, do not own any of the characters.

Xxxxx

Naruto pulled his orange gloves off and shoved them into his jacket pocket as he strode across the lobby of his apartment building, heading for the elevator. It was late afternoon and the sun shone prettily around the foyer as he joined the small group waiting for the lift to arrive. A small 'ding' announced it's arrival. The small congregation parted to allow the occupants of the lift to exit. Naruto lifted his head and felt his happy mood dissipate slightly as his neighbour strode passed, his dark gaze apparently not registering Naruto. Naruto reached out his hand and snagged the other man's sleeve, walking with him a few feet before pulling him to a stop. The action earned him a glare.

"Let go."

"You were really fucking rude yesterday." Naruto stated angrily, letting his arm drop down to his side. His voice was low. He heard the elevator announce that the doors were shutting but he paid it no attention.

"Is that how you treat other people?"

"Only the annoying ones." His voice was dull and apathetic as he shifted his weight. Naruto bristled and the other man checked his watch. He grunted.

"I've got somewhere to be."

"Don't have time to be a decent human being? That much is plainly obvious, don't worry." Naruto spun on his heel and stomped back over to the call buttons, requesting the elevator again as he fumed to himself. Sasuke watched him go, scrutinising the back of the blonds head. He heard a faint buzzing, so he turned his back and pulled his vibrating phone from his pocket, answering the call with a swipe of his thumb.

Naruto heard the other muttering softly into his phone,voice deliberately lowered. Somehow this only angered Naruto further.

After hitting the disconnect button Sasuke headed for the exit, glancing over his shoulder to where Naruto had stood moments before. The blond was gone but Sasuke slowed down, eyes on the orange glove that was in stark contrast to the grey flooring. He walked over and retrieved it, placing it in his own pocket before exiting the building.

Xxxx

Sasuke sat along the wooden bench, tomato juice sat untouched in front of him. His gaze wandered over the menu, ceasing when he felt a light hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry I'm late." Sasuke nodded his head in acknowledgement as the slim girl rounded the long table to sit opposite him. Sakura huffed as she shrugged herself out of her scarf and coat, placing them beside her on the bench. She flicked her hair impatiently out of her face, tucking it behind an ear.

"Have you been here long?" She queried, pulling a menu towards her but her eyes staying fixed on the man in question.

"No."

"Long enough to get a drink." The pink haired girl teased, glancing over the menu. Sasuke ignored her, opting to sip his drink instead.

"How have you been?" She asked, green eyes wary, not straying from the man before her.

"Fine. Normal." Sasuke stated, meeting her gaze. Sakura sighed at the strained conversation and signalled the waiter.

Xxxx

"That's an unusual colour choice for you, Sasuke." Sakura stated as they strode down to the tube station. She reached across and plucked the orange glove from the stoic man's pocket.

Sasuke glanced at it and shrugged. "I was feeling adventurous." He muttered, taking it back from her. She hesitated slightly at the change in tone.

"Oh really? Last time you were feeling adventurous we ended up puking on the bonnet of a Peugeot in South East London." Sasuke smiled at the memory and Sakura felt her cheeks tinge pink at the sight of it. She laughed and pretend the cause for her rosy cheeks was the icy wind.

She felt sad at the memory. Although it was a fond one, it was also very old. It had been a long time since they had done anything like that together.

"You want me to honestly believe you bought one orange glove?" She persisted as they dodged the London pedestrians, Sakura gluing herself to Sasuke's side as best she could without actually attaching herself.

"Someone from my apartment building dropped it."

"You gonna give it back?" She asked, glancing at him with intrigue.

He looked at her. "What else am I going to do with it?"

She shrugged. "It's just unlike you, that's all." Sasuke frowned slightly at her wording. "I'm surprised you even picked it up. Whose is it?" She demanded, a note of jealousy in here voice. Sasuke stopped as they reached the steps leading to the tube station, Sakura coming to an awkward halt.

"You should stop saying that Sakura, it's really irritating." Sasuke stated, motioning towards the steps.

"You don't normally involve yourself with strangers. I didn't mean anything by it-" She started, but he waved a hand as he turned on his heel. "Look, has Itachi been around?" She asked quickly, snagging hold of his jacket sleeve. She'd been holding the question in all night, and now this was the only moment left. Appropriate or not. He turned quickly with a glare.

"Why?"

"Because I need to know. Has he?" He stepped forward, silently seething.

"It's not your concern. Let go of my coat."

"It _is_ my concern. Sasuke your my friend, would you please just-" She was flustered, embarrassed as Sasuke used his free hand to unravel her fist from his sleeve. "I never know where I stand with you any more. I just want to help, to connect with you." Her mouth fell open as she searched his face. He let the silence continue, then broke it.

"He's keeping his distance." Sasuke lied, looking down at her. She bit her lip, looking up at him and then glancing down at the floor. He dropped her hand and she pulled it towards her as he walked away.

He resisted the urge to look over his shoulder, not wanting to give Sakura a reason to continue their previous conversation. Itachi was an issue he would sort in his own time.

He though of his new neighbour as he walked, his right hand pressed up against the obnoxious glove in his pocket. He enjoyed riling the other up. The few times they'd spoken had caused Sasuke to pay attention and get involved, interactions that normally he would have dismissed with most other people. He enjoyed the attention, even though it was negative.

He shook his head at the thought. He was better off severing any future contact. He'd give the glove back anonymously, and that would be that.

Xxxx

Naruto stood in his bathroom in front of the sink, brushing his teeth. He bared his teeth and brushed them haphazardly, watching himself in the mirror above the basin. He lowered his head and spat the foam into the sink, rinsing the toothbrush and letting out a satisfied breath. Just as he launched the toothbrush back into the glass on the counter, he heard his letterbox crash back on itself.

He glanced at his watch and noted it was gone 11 o'clock at night. He arched an eyebrow and padded out into the hallway, eyebrows disappearing into his hairline as he saw the orange glove laying on the carpet.

He bent down to pick it up, puzzled. He flicked the latch and pulled his front door open, peaking out. He was just in time to see his stoic neighbours door swing shut, the latch click into place. Naruto frowned, coming back inside and shutting his own front door. He glanced down at the glove and his face relaxed. He smiled, chuckling to himself. He threw the glove onto the table in the hall and snatched up his hoodie, shrugging it on over his t-shirt and grabbing his keys.

He left his apartment, striding down the hall the short distance to his neighbour's door. He drew in a breath and knocked a couple of times, holding his ground. He waited a few moments and shrugged, about to head back to his own flat, when the door clicked open. Naruto arched an eyebrow, body already turned to walk away.

"What do you want." Came the smooth voice of the dark haired man. He stood in the doorway, relaxed and calm, hand holding the door ajar.

"Ermm," Naruto grinned and turned, giving the man his full attention. "Just wanted to say thanks! For finding my glove. I knew you weren't a total dick."

"If I wanted you to thank me I would have knocked on your door." He replied, frowning slightly.

"Well I saved you the trouble, didn't I?" Naruto commented, crossing his arms. "Do you have a smartass remark for everything?"

"Mostly." Sasuke smirked slightly to himself, enjoying their banter.

Naruto chose to ignore that particularly comment. "How did you know it was mine?"

Sasuke purposefully looked Naruto up and down, indicating the bright orange t-shirt he was wearing. "Not many people have such a strong dedication to that particular shade of orange. Plus your other one was dangling out of your pocket in the foyer earlier."

"Right." Naruto pursed his lips slightly, not appreciating the dark haired man's tone. "Well, thanks anyway." He said, rolling his eyes and turning on his heel to head back to his own apartment.

"Hey." Naruto faltered, turning his head to regard the other man warily.

"What?" He asked, uneasy, expecting another snide remark.

"How is it?" Sasuke asked grudgingly, shocking himself as he spoke.

Naruto looked puzzled. "How is what?"

"Your hand." Sasuke clarified, eyes narrowed on the blond before him.

Naruto's eyes widened and he snickered playfully, hands coming up behind his head. Sasuke grimaced slightly, his own eyes widening a fraction.

"I'll live." He held his left hand out briefly, showing Sasuke the shiny pink skin. "What's your name?" Naruto's voice was playful.

"Sasuke." Was the quick answer, dark eyes shifting from Naruto's hand to his face.

"Sasukeeee." Naruto dragged out the name. He swiped his thumb across his nose. "I'm having a house warming – flat warming, actually – party thing on Saturday. You should come." He headed back to his own door, inserting his key and proceeding inside without waiting for an answer. "Should be fun. Sleep tight Sasuke!"

Sasuke stood in his doorway a moment before retreating inside and pushing it shut. He fumed silently to himself.

"He's wary of you. It's not surprising Sasuke, you were unnecessarily rude to him yesterday." Itachi commented from the entrance to the bedroom. Sasuke grit his teeth and stalked passed him, ignoring his presence. Itachi followed him through to the lounge, sitting in the chair as Sasuke made himself comfortable on the couch.

"You should go to the party."

"I don't need you to analyse or eavesdrop on every social encounter I have." Sasuke snapped, leaning his head on the back of the couch.

Itachi studied Sasuke and smiled slightly.

"You want to go."

"I don't." He remained still, eyes gently closed, lips barely moving.

"Then why didn't you tell him that?"

"Because he didn't give me a chance to." He levelled a lazy glare at the other, an eyebrow raised. It earned him a chuckle. Sasuke's glare intensified.

"I hope he drops a glove everyday." Itachi commented, "If it means getting a reaction from you."

"I think you're reading too much into this. Why are you still here?"

"You'll miss me when I'm gone, Sasuke." Was the despondent reply. Sasuke ran a hand over his face and felt a steady tremor run through it, his pale hand knocking gently against his nose as he held it there. He didn't need to open his eyes to know Itachi had left.

Xxxxx

Sasuke stood outside Naruto's door, carrier bag clutched in his left hand. He raised his right hand to knock, his knuckles poised a couple of inches from the wood of the door, before his hand dropped to his side and he glared.

"You mind not glaring a hole in my front door?" Came a bright voice. Sasuke heard the elevator doors shut and watched as the blond approached him, tanned hands rummaging through his coat pockets. He pulled out his front door key and Sasuke took a few steps back.

"I just wanted to give you this." Sasuke motioned the bag, holding it out for Naruto to take. Naruto looked wary.

"What is it?" He asked, a blond eyebrow raised.

"It's for your hand, the scald." Naruto took it, opening it and gazing inside. "It still looks sore." He said, motioning towards it.

"What're you, my mum?" Naruto scoffed, opening his door. Sasuke didn't appreciate the comparison, his hands finding their way into his trouser pockets.

"No, but seems you need one." Sasuke countered, eyes narrow and hostile. Naruto grit his teeth and faced him, hand holding the bag out towards Sasuke.

"You don't know me so I'll let that one go." Baby blue eyes momentarily filled with hurt, before being replaced with mild anger. "Is this your way of making friends? 'Cause it sucks." Sasuke ignored the proffered bag, gaze fixed on Naruto. Naruto let his hand drop and sighed, pursing his lips. He turned and looked at Sasuke out of the corner of his eye. "Wanna come in or..?"

Sasuke shrugged, Naruto taking that as a yes. He stepped over the threshold, Sasuke a few steps behind. Naruto dumped his belongings in the hallway, toeing off his trainers and kicking them to the side. "You can put your shoes anywhere." Naruto muttered, waving a hand and meandering down to his living room.

"Do I need to even bother taking them off." Sasuke uttered, raising an eyebrow at the dishevelled hallway. Quick as a flash Naruto's head poked around the door frame, expression irritated.

"I'm messy, not an animal." Naruto commented, before disappearing again.

"Hn." Sasuke grimaced slightly, taking off his shoes and placing them neatly by the wall before following the blond. He entered the living space and heard Naruto put the kettle on in the kitchen. The room was bare, beige walls devoid of decoration and half opened boxes littered about the place. The television was set up, a games console displayed before it. The couch looked new and stiff, a few shades darker than the walls. Sasuke wandered around the room, gazing down into the boxes, noting photographs and other odd bits.

"You're quite nosy." Naruto said, leaning against the edge of the doorway, arms crossed. Sasuke turned round to face him, a framed photo in his hand.

"This your dad?" He asked, gaze flickering back to the photo.

"Biologically? No. Might as well have been though." Naruto came over to Sasuke, taking the photo from his hands and placing it back in the box. Sasuke frowned.

"Tea? Or coffee?" Naruto asked, ignoring the other.

"Tea is fine." Sasuke stated. Naruto nodded, rolling his eyes and meandering back to the kitchen. Naruto returned a few moments later, drinks in hand.

"It's hot." Naruto said, tongue sticking out as he handed Sasuke one of the mugs, shaking his hand once the dark haired man accepted it.

"I'd hope so." Was the snide reply. Naruto turned his nose up, eyeing Sasuke.

"Bastard." Naruto put his mug down on the floor, the contents untouched. "So did you invite yourself round just to be an ass-hole or what?"

"Actually, you invited me in."

"You wanted me to, it was written all over your face. Plus you were loitering outside my front door like a lost puppy." Naruto snorted, resting back on the couch, legs wide. "Am I in trouble now?"

Sasuke felt the corners of his mouth turn upwards without permission. He leant forward to place his cup on the floor, his hair coming forward and hiding his expression. When he sat upright he was scowling slightly.

"You really are a moron." He stated, crossing his legs. Naruto spluttered.

"What the hell? I'm not a moron, you bastard."

Sasuke frowned at Naruto's choice of words, watching Naruto glare at him. Naruto glanced down, something catching his attention, his face relaxing. "Your hands shaking." He said, pointing at Sasuke's lap. Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction, hands clenching into fists to stop the tremors.

"It's nothing." He insisted, averting his gaze.

"Seriously, you should get that checked out, are you on-." Naruto leant towards Sasuke, his fingertips grazing the back of the others hand. Sasuke knocked the tanned hand away roughly. Naruto leant back, a shocked expression on his face.

"Jesus, calm the fuck down."

"Don't act so familiar." Was the snide remark. He stood up roughly, pulling his jacket around him. "Thanks for the tea." He muttered under his breath, leaving the room.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called, leaning forward on the couch. A moment later he heard his door slam, wincing at the brutality of it. He looked as Sasuke's untouched tea and pouted childishly.

"What a dick."

xxxx

Naruto sat at his couch, bowl of cereal in his lap as he flicked through the television channels. A silver spoon dangled from his lips, his corn flakes getting soggy in the bowl. He made a disgruntled noise at screen, unable to find anything interesting to watch so he finished off the cereal quickly, placing it on the sparse coffee table.

He lounged backwards, swinging his feet up just before he heard loud a few loud thumps outside in the main hallway. Naruto grabbed the remote, pressing the mute button and listening intently.

A muffled, undeniably female voice gave a loud shout followed by some more loud thumps.

With a confused look on his face Naruto pulled himself up lazily, strolling to his door to peek out, eyes squinted. He watched with growing concern, his presence not even being registered by the other.

"He's probably not in, you know." Naruto commented loudly, calling the attention of the frantic girl down the hall. She was crouched slightly, peering through Sasuke's letterbox. Her head whipped round, short pink locks flying prettily around her face. Naruto's eyes widened. "Ermm, he's normally at work around this time?" He ventured, pointing at Sasuke's door.

"He's not at work!" The woman said, turning away from him and continuing her onslaught on the wooden door.

"Well maybe he's just not home?" Naruto queried, hooking the latch on his door and wandering into the hallway. He slowly approached Sasuke's door, hands behind his head.

"He's not answering his phone, texts or calls." She muttered, eyes glassy with unshed tears. She turned to Naruto. "Are you his friend?" Her hands were placed on the door as she gazed at him.

"Not really..." Naruto sighed, scratching his head. "We've spoken a few times. He's a bit of a bastard."

"Don't talk about him like that!" She spat the words out, causing Naruto to drop his hands, an astonished look on his face.

"Ahh I'm sorry." He said sheepishly, trying to calm her down. "We've just had a couple of... run ins? He's not easy to get along with."

"Well when did you last see him? He doesn't normally bother with anyone at _all._ " She emphasised the last word, eyes narrowed with determination at the blond. Naruto blinked at her.

"Well he came over a couple of days ago. Had a hissy fit and left after about fifteen minutes." Naruto mused. "Haven't seen him since." He finished, scratching his nose as he thought.

"Oh God, please." She redoubled her efforts, banging loudly on the door.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, blue eyes filled with concern. He grabbed hold of her wrists, stopping her from her onslaught. She gulped back tears, eyes squeezed shut as she was spun round to face him.

"You _have_ to help me get in there!" She said desperately, changing tactic.

"Why?" Naruto asked, forehead wrinkled with bemusement.

"I think he's taken something!" She wrenched her hands out of Naruto's grip, glaring up at him. "Okay? He could have _taken_ something, I can't stand the thought of it! How can I help him if he's hurt himself? Or worse." She sobbed slightly, bringing her hands up to her face. Realisation dawned on Naruto, his eyes faraway as he remembered Sasuke's shaking hands and the way he reacted when he'd brought it up.

"Oh shit." He uttered the words, turning quickly to face his neighbour's door.

"Sasuke!" He shouted, hammering loudly on the door, the door shaking violently from it. "Sasuke, you bastard! Open this fucking door!" He grit his teeth, glaring wildly as he continued. Was this his fault? His heart sped up at the thought, guilt rushing through him and amping his adrenaline.

Sakura looked on bewildered, green eyes wide as the tears dried on her cheeks. No one else appeared in the corridor, the majority out at school or work. Naruto glanced behind him, moving backwards and charging at the door with his shoulder, gritting his teeth against the effort. Once, twice, the door not budging. He growled, careening forward and jolting the door causing it to open, prevented from opening fully due to the chain. Sakura yelped at the noise, jumping backwards slightly before rushing forward to peer through the gap.

"Sasuke? Sasuke!" She shouted, unable to see anything. "What now?" She demanded, Naruto already rushing down the hall in his socks.

"Hang on!" He countered, disappearing inside his apartment. Sakura waited impatiently, peering uselessly through the small opening. She bit her lip, praying in her head.

"Please be okay." She mumbled, Naruto appearing beside her.

"Bolt cutters." He explained, holding up the robust tool. He slipped the end of them over the chain, squeezing down. His arms shook with the effort just as the chain snapped, the door falling open. Sakura pushed passed him desperately and skidded down the hallway, disappearing into the living room. Naruto was close behind her, stopping at the entrance as he watched Sakura.

Sasuke was on the sofa, an arm dangled over the side. His eyes were shut as Sakura shook him by the shoulders, eliciting no response from the dark haired man. Naruto came over slowly, grabbing his phone from his pocket and beginning to dial. Sakura's head snapped up, standing and grabbing the phone from his grasp angrily.

"What're you doing?" He asked incredulously, "He needs an ambulance!"

"No!" She countered stubbornly, shoving his phone into her coat pocket. "I can help him."

"Are you crazy?! He's whacked out!" Naruto emphasised his point by poking the pale man's cheek, his head lolling to the side with no resistance. "He needs professionals!" Naruto argued hotly, arms gesticulated wildly.

"I said no! I can't do that to him." She dropped down beside him again, palm on his chest whilst she checked for a pulse with her other hand. "Look, he's breathing, he has a pulse, I can deal with this." She looked up at him stubbornly. "I've done it before." She glared before returning her gaze downwards. "Sort out the door." She demanded, "We can't have anyone wandering in here."

Xxxxx

Thanks for reading! If you're enjoying it or have any comments I'd love to hear them! I have a good idea for plot and the rest of the story line but any input/plot bunnies you guys have would be greatly received. (:


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own any of the characters.

Xxxxx

Naruto sat in the arm chair in Sasuke's living room with his arms crossed, one leg hooked over the arm of the chair itself.

"You don't have to stay, you know." Sakura said calmly, not taking her eyes off of the dark haired man. He had a damp flannel on his head, Sakura crouched by the sofa monitoring his breathing. "I can deal with this."

"Like fuck I'm going anywhere." Naruto said petulantly, gaze stubborn as he watched.

"Why? You said yourself, he's not your friend."

"He obviously needs some." He commented gruffly, snorting. Sakura raised an eyebrow at him, mildly affronted, but remained silent.

The pair had been at Sasuke's side most of the day, the sky outside the balcony window having darkened sometime ago.

"How do you know him?" Naruto asked, gesturing at Sasuke with a jolt of his chin.

"School." Sakura offered. "He was different back then."

"How?"

"Well he was... happy." She shrugged, gazing down at him. She lent over, moving his hair off his face. She adored him, Naruto could tell. "Some things have happened, life hasn't been easy for him."

"Life isn't normally kind to any of us, what makes him so special that he gets to pull stunts like this?" Naruto's tone was gruff and quiet.

"He lost his family." Sakura insisted, defending the inert man. Her gaze remained stubbornly hooked on the man before her, failing to see Naruto stiffen in his chair. "It's affected him a lot, he keeps to himself and he doesn't really... connect with people anymore." Her green eyes were sad and her lower lip trembled slightly. "He's been in hospital a couple of times, just from being careless with this. It's bizarre because normally he's so meticulous but with this he's just... another person. He's never taken enough to do any serious damage but..." She trailed off, a couple of tears breaking free and tumbling down her cheeks. She wiped them away viciously. "I'm always scared that the next time will be different, that he'll make a mistake. I think the medication helps him suppress certain memories from his past, helps him to ignore them. But if he doesn't take them for a while he starts to get side effects, withdrawal ones. I'm not even sure he wants to stop. It's like an addiction."

After a moment of contemplation Naruto spoke, "It's not _like_ an addiction, it _is_ an addiction." He asserted, unmoving."It's not healthy."

"You don't know him so you wouldn't understand." Sakura added quickly, dismissing Naruto. Naruto bristled, teeth clenched together.

"Are you his girlfriend?" He asked after a few moments, out of the blue.

"N-no. No, just his friend." She stammered, cheeks sporting a dusky red hue at the blond's words. She waved a hand in front of her face. "Don't ask something so embarrassing." Naruto could hear in her voice that she wished things were different. He didn't push the matter.

Xxxxx

Sasuke could hear the drone of voices around him. The air was cool, his forehead damp but soothing. His mouth felt tacky and dry which made him frown.

He brought a pale hand up into his line of vision, opened his eyes and studied it intensely. It was still and steady, not wavering. He grabbed the flannel from his forehead and rested it on his stomach and looked down to see Sakura, her head resting on the sofa with her legs curled beneath her on the floor. Her breathing was steady and her eyes were closed. He noted the smeared mascara and released a small exasperated sigh.

"She's not moved since we got in." Sasuke jumped slightly at the sound, head turning to see Naruto lounged on his armchair, rubbing an eye. He grunted and rested his head back, gazing lazily at the flickering television.

"She was really worried about you." Naruto tried again, sitting up. "Don't you care?" He said through gritted teeth.

"I never asked her to." Came the gravelly reply. Sasuke tried to clear his throat, the pink haired girl frowning in her sleep.

"That's not the point though, is it?" Naruto growled, getting up and heading to the kitchen. He returned with a glass of water and offered it to Sasuke who took it begrudgingly. He shifted into a sitting position, trying not to disturb Sakura.

"You're welcome." Naruto muttered petulantly, retaking his seat. "What were you thinking, Sasuke?" He asked, eyes fixed intently on the dark haired man.

"I just took too much. I'm fine, it was a mistake on my part." He said, sipping the water. He held the drink in his lap, turning to Naruto. "I was only knocked out."

"Only knocked out? That's it? You could have died, Sasuke."

"You've no idea. You can stop acting so concerned." Naruto clenched his fists, eyes blazing."It's none of your business." Naruto cocked his head, something snapping inside him. He got up quickly, marching over to Sasuke and wrenching him upright by his shirt. Sakura jolted awake, confusion on her sleepy face.

"Naruto?"

"You think this is a joke. You could have died from this and you want to be flippant?" Naruto was furious, his blue eyes narrowing as he spoke. Sasuke wrapped his free hand around the fist Naruto had clenched around his shirt and Sakura grabbed the water glass from his hand, putting it on the coffee table.

"Naruto!" She pleaded, circling him and grabbing his arm. "Let Sasuke go! He's just woken up, he needs to rest."

"No Sakura! What he needs is to hear this." Naruto said, his gaze not wavering from the man beneath him. Sasuke glared at the blond, gripping his tanned hand tightly.

"You've got no idea what's happened!" Sasuke announced, raising his voice. "Don't you dare act as if you know."

"I know enough! I've seen it with my own eyes! You need to think of the people around you, how it affects them, don't be so fucking selfish!" Naruto shouted, releasing Sasuke onto the couch with a shove. Sakura continued holding his arm and he let her, covering his face with his other hand. Sasuke propped himself up on his elbows, eyes wide with rage and confusion as he looked on. This wasn't a reaction he'd expected.

"I'm fucking out." Naruto exclaimed, wrenching his arm free and moving passed Sakura. He grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the apartment, the damaged door swinging and clattering on its hinges as he marched through.

Sakura bit her lip, hesitating. She groaned, leaving the living room to make sure the front door was secured before returning and flopping despondently down onto the free space on the couch.

"He didn't deserve that Sasuke." She muttered, turning to the dark haired man. Sasuke's gaze was fixed on his living room door as if Naruto would reappear. "He's stayed here all day, he wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Hn." He looked over at her, her bottom lip trembling. She swallowed, trying to quell any new tears.

"I was so worried." Her words seemed to wrack her body, new tears spilling over and free falling down her cheeks. "I thought maybe this was the one-"

"Sakura." Sasuke interrupted, watching her unperturbed. He wanted to say sorry, but the words wouldn't come out. She sniffed, looking at him and smiling.

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything. I'm just so glad you're fine." She wiped her cheeks with delicate finger tips. "Sorry Sasuke, I'm a mess. Let me clean myself up, I'll make us some food you must be starving."

"I'd prefer it if you left." He demanded, moving his legs over the couch and planting them on the floor, hands dangling between them.

"Sasuke..." Sakura whispered, standing unnaturally still. "I get it." She announced, voice wobbling. She took a step towards him. "I know you can't talk to me. But I can take care of you, I _want_ -" Sasuke interrupted her, silencing her torrent of words with a gesture of his hand.

"Don't be so dramatic. This was an over reaction on your part, I was never in any danger, I've told you before. I'll call you tomorrow." He looked up at her, the dark shadows pronounced beneath his eyes. "I'm going to bed." He stated, pulling himself up and walking across the carpet, leaving the room. Sakura watched with bleary eyes as he left, hearing the soft sound of the bedroom door closing. She bit her lip, her gaze sweeping around the room. Green eyes landed on the coffee table, the pestle and mortar placed mockingly before her. She picked it up, eyes glistening and angry as she stalked to the kitchen and hurled it in to the sink with a desperate wordless scream. She took a few heaving breaths before turning to leave, pacing through the apartment. She placed a hand on Sasuke's bedroom door once she reached the hallway, tempted to push it open and enter. To curl up next to him and sleep. She scratched her nails over the wood, her hand clenching into a fist. Her hair swept over her shoulder as she turned and left the apartment.

Xxxxx

Sasuke lay prone in his bed, staring at the pattern the moonlight made on his ceiling. He was drained but he couldn't sleep, unable to shut off. He'd taken a couple of accelerated painkillers for the mild ache in his head, the pain pulsing steadily. He felt irresponsible and pissed off, he hadn't meant to make Sakura worry again, and he certainly hadn't wanted to involve Naruto.

Naruto.

The blond had surprised him. The pain and raw anger he'd seen in the others eyes made him unsettled. And curious.

He grunted, sitting up and running his hand through his hair roughly, ruffling it up in the back. A wave of nausea hit him like a steam train and he heaved, surprised as he tasted the bile in his mouth as it came up his throat. The action racked his body and made his eyes blurry with tears as he dropped to his knees, pulling his bedroom bin towards him to empty what little he had in his stomach.

He felt a shudder run through his body as he leant back against the bed once he'd finished, sweat drops gathering on his forehead. He swiped the bin aside angrily, ignoring it as it clattered against his bed side table and wobbled precariously before settling still. His head was pounding still but he didn't want to risk taking anything else. Perhaps he'd scared himself. That was a first.

Being alone was dangerous. The thought was irrational and alien to him, but maybe he'd pushed it this time. He brought two expert fingers over and held them against the pulse on his opposite wrist. It was present and fast.

Pushing himself up he crossed the room, grabbing his phone from on top of the chest of drawers and placing it in his back pocket before entering the hallway and bending down to put his vans on. He eyed the door and noted the splinted and split pieces of wood. He snorted, grabbing his head and gritting his teeth as the pain ebbed slightly before gathering himself and standing, exiting his apartment. He pulled the door to, frowning when the latch failed to catch but leaving it as closed as he could.

He walked the short distance to Naruto's front door and knocked, the bright fluorescent lights piercing through his eyes into his pounding head.

Sasuke waited. After a moment he heard movement and the chain being removed. A dishevelled Naruto opened the door and peered out, eyes squinted against the bright light of the hallway.

"I have work tomorrow Sasuke." He murmured whilst pouting obnoxiously. "What do you want?"

"To apologise." Sasuke said, eyeing Naruto's sleepy state.

"Go on then." Naruto yawned, leaning against the door frame. The entryway to Naruto's apartment was dark, a faint light apparent further down the hallway. Sasuke hesitated, not moving. Naruto noticed the silence.

He let the door fall open and grabbed Sasuke's sleeve roughly, taking in the others somewhat fragile appearance.

"Come on, you're letting the heat out." He asserted, pulling Sasuke inside. Sasuke complied grudgingly, Naruto dropping his arm but Sasuke following him to the front room without removing his shoes. Sasuke noted the light was coming from the open bathroom door situated opposite Naruto's bedroom, the layout nearly identical to his own.

Naruto flipped on the floor lamp in the far corner and crawled lazily on to the sofa, pulling the blanket off the back and wrapping it around him, covering all but his nose and eyes. Sasuke sat awkwardly at the other end with his feet on the floor.

"You were saying?" Naruto prompted, eyes drooping with sleepiness.

"You look ridiculous like that." Sasuke dead-panned, Naruto cocking an eyebrow.

"I'm a ninja." Naruto countered as he perked up slightly.

"I don't think a ninja could ever get away with wearing orange." Sasuke mused, eyeing the blanket with disdain as he settled back into the cushions.

"I reckon I could pull it off." Naruto insisted as he studied Sasuke. He let the silence settle around them before speaking, "I had someone...close, who died from an overdose." Sasuke continued to look straight ahead but Naruto could tell he was listening. "It was a few years back. It could have been avoided. I mean, at the end of the day it was their choice. But it broke a lot of people. No one should have to go through that."

"Hn." Sasuke muttered, hands still in his lap. His head was bowed slightly as he avoided looking at Naruto. "No one on the outside of that person's decision would have ever understood." The words were frosty and defensive.

"That doesn't mean it was the right decision. There are other ways-"

"If all the other options have been exhausted, then continuing on for the sake of other people means you might as well be dead anyway."

"That's the worst justification for suicide I've ever heard."

"It doesn't matter what you think, it's still a justification none the less."

"If you can die and not give a shit about the people who care about you, then you obviously haven't met the right ones yet. You obviously don't give a shit about them, because you can't possibly not care about the right ones." Sasuke hands tightened into pale fists.

"Regardless this is a ridiculous scenario, I'm not suicidal."

"You could have fooled me. Do normal happy people take a potentially life threatening amount of illegal drugs?" The sarcastic tone was unwelcome.

"I'll say it again, I'm not suicidal. And they're prescription." Sasuke left out the part about it no longer being prescribed to him in particular. "It was an accident. All they did was knock me out. I was never in any danger, I should know."

"Being comatose on your sofa for over a day isn't dangerous?" Naruto snorted derisively. "You must be fucking joking. Yeah, maybe you weren't in any danger of dying but you're fucking yourself and your life up." He was angry again, Sasuke noted. Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the telling off he was receiving, Itachi's words being echoed by the blond.

"I don't get it, why did you come over here?" Naruto asked, genuinely intrigued through his anger, jaw clenched.

Sasuke turned and glared, eyes angry. "Because you piss me off."

"Yeah? Well you're pissing me off right now." Naruto growled back, dropping the blanket slightly. Sasuke lunged, lashing out with his fist unexpectedly. Naruto's blue eyes flashed wide as he dodged to the side, narrowly missing taking a punch to the chin. He retaliated quickly, issuing a haphazard punch of his own that Sasuke deftly caught in a pale hand.

"Why do you do it?" Naruto demanded accusingly as Sasuke scowled at him.

"It's none of your fucking business." Sasuke said through gritted teeth as his arm trembled with the effort of holding back Naruto.

"Wrong answer, you've made it my business." The words came out dangerously low, Naruto's blue eyes wild and singing. He shoved the dark haired man back much like he had earlier that evening, Sasuke's arms getting flung wide.

"I just want to forget for a while!" Sasuke cursed, gripping the back of the sofa hard and glaring up at Naruto. "Is that so hard for everyone to fucking understand?!" He was voice was low and menacing, dark eyes full of loathing as he stared Naruto in the eyes.

Naruto's face relaxed and he sunk back with a thud, not breaking eye contact.

"I understand." He stated, all previous anger completely dissipated.

Sasuke's face immediately relaxed, eyebrows unravelling and his mouth parting slightly. The look of knowing on the blond's face and the way he held himself so openly made Sasuke want to cringe and mock the blond, but the look of determination in Naruto's eyes held him silently in place.

Sasuke believed him.

White spots flashed across his vision and a jolt of inexplicable pain made itself home in his head, his temples throbbing with the intensity.

"You're not okay." The blond stated obviously. Naruto's eyes grew to massive proportions in Sasuke's vision, cerulean skies spreading for miles. "Oi, Sasuke!" Naruto called with high notes of fear as he got up on to his knees on the couch, shuffling towards the other man.

"No fucking shit." Sasuke muttered to himself, Naruto appearing to rock and sway before him. He felt steady hands grasp his upper arms grounding him and steering him down until he was resting on his back. Conciousness threatened to leave him, the room dimming and then brightening teasingly around him.

"Karin, call Karin." Sasuke gestured to Naruto chaotically, shifting to his side and attempting to pull his phone from his back pocket.

"Who the fuck is Karin?!" Naruto bleated as he left the couch to kneel in front of Sasuke, trying to get the other to focus on him. His forehead was creased frantically as he fumbled with the phone Sasuke practically threw at him.

"No one else, no ambulance... Just Karin." He reiterated lamely, speech slow and drowsy. "1007." Naruto jammed the numbers on the screen, inputting it incorrectly several times and cursing colourfully with each attempt. Once he had it open he scrolled manically through the list of contacts, sneaking furious glances at Sasuke to check how he was doing.

He selected the contact labelled 'Karin' and held the phone to his ear as it rang, watching Sasuke gaze distractedly at his ceiling.

"Karin? No no not Sasuke, Naruto." He listened intently to the other. "What the fuck does it matter?! He needs your help, can you help? I'm calling an ambulance, I'm not fucking waiting for him to die on my couch." Naruto got up and paced back and forth. "You're a what?" He asked incredibly, stopping and looking at Sasuke. The dark haired man had his eyes closed, sweat gathering on his forehead. "What should I do until then?" Naruto asked quickly, nodding as he listened to the person on the other end of the line answer his question. "Okay, just hurry. It's Sasuke apartment building, same floor but across the hall." He pressed the end call button with unnecessary force, slinging the phone onto the other end of the couch by Sasuke's feet. He heaved the dark haired man up, slinging a pale arm over his shoulder before guiding the other across the room.

"Shit." Naruto muttered, eyes full of determination as he carried the majority of Sasuke's weight, snatching glances of the other. The smell of old bile was obvious now that Naruto was so close to him.

He lowered Sasuke as cautiously as he could in front of the toilet, grabbing his toothbrush from the glass tumbler by the sink and crouching before offering it to the other man. Sasuke slumped against the wall awkwardly, leaning on the toilet for support.

"Come on Sasuke, time for a tactical chunder." The blond asserted, trying to hide any fear from his voice but failing miserably.

Sasuke looked at Naruto and tried to glare but found he didn't have the energy or the mental capacity. His head swayed as he looked over Naruto's shoulder, seeing a silhouette in the bathroom doorway.

"Itachi..." He whispered, Naruto glancing at the entrance worriedly before focusing back on Sasuke.

"Be sick, Sasuke, now!" Naruto ordered, moving dark locks out of Sasuke's vision and cradling the his face between his hands. His face was clammy and warm. "I'm not fucking asking again." Naruto threatened, eyes narrowed and filled with authority.

Sasuke swayed, grunting and grabbing the proffered toothbrush and bring it to his mouth before heaving violently.

Xxxxx

"Ino?" Sakura asked as she pounded the pavement furiously, her mobile held to her ear. The attachments on her phone bounced around and poked her hand, an annoyance she was beginning to grow steadily more pissed off at. "Let's go out, it's on me, I'll meet you at-" Green eyes narrowed as she was interrupted.

"Sakura! Oh my God, I have a date with Sai tonight, can you believe it? So like I can't do tonight but what about next week?" Sakura sighed, slowing down and chewing the inside of her lip.

"That's great, you've liked him for a while." She took a left at the end of the road, the bright lights of Soho invading every crevice on the streets.

"I know, I'm so happy. He's so hot, I just- ahh, I'm so excited." Ino paused, waiting for Sakura to respond. "Sakura?" She queried, her voice laced with concern. "Are you okay?".

"I'm okay." Sakura answered after a moment, choking on her words.

"No you're not, I can hear it in your voice. What's wrong? Is it your dad? How is he?"

"No no, dad's fine, he's doing well." She sniffed, cursing herself as she felt her eyes well up again. Why did she always end up crying?

"Then what is it Sakura? Tell me." She demanded with a stern voice. Sakura could imagine the look on the blonde's face. She let the silence settle between them for a moment as she stepped out of the pedestrian traffic to lean against the side of one of the buildings.

"It's Sasuke." Just saying his name opened the flood gates, her bottom lip trembling as she tried fruitlessly to hold in her emotions. She gave a loud sob before holding her breath. A group passed by, their eyes not even registering her lone figure.

"Oh Sakura." Ino sighed, apparently used to this topic of conversation. Sakura looked down at her shoes, using her pink hair as a curtain to hide her face. "Come over, come to my place."

"But your date-"

"Who gives a toss about him? I can cancel, it's a girls prerogative after all. Where are you?"

"Soho, near our usual haunt." She dragged a cigarette butt across the pavement with her shoe, squashing it absent-mindedly into the pavement.

"You're not far then, hurry over."

"Are you sure?"

"Sakura, please, when have I ever done something I haven't wanted to do? Just hurry up, I'm ordering dinner." Sakura gave a small knowing laugh and said a quick goodbye before pocketing her phone. She inserted herself back into the throng of people and headed for the tube station.

Xxxxx

Hope you enjoyed!


	4. Chapter 4

I don't on Naruto or any of the characters.

Xxxxx

"I still think we should take him to the hospital." Naruto said stubbornly, leaning over Sasuke as he slept. Sasuke's face looked calm, but the blond could still see remnants of sweat on his forehead.

"Think what you want." Karin answered stubbornly from the door, arms crossed. "I'm the professional, and I say he's staying right here." Her lower lip was jutting out, her face marred with unrelenting determination. "Just who are you anyway? I don't know you, Sasuke has never mentioned you." She was suspicious. Naruto sighed with frustration as he straightened up.

"You're the second one of his friends to ask me that." Naruto said, squinting at her with annoyance.

"Second?!" Karin grit her teeth. "Who else?"

"I'm not sure I should tell you." Naruto muttered as he cut his eye at her, pouting childishly. She'd been a pain in Naruto's ass since she'd arrived. Although he had to admit she'd definitely proved herself invaluable tonight.

"You're lying, Sasuke doesn't have any friends." Karin said resolutely. "He uses people, it's not the same." Naruto was shocked by her words and how easily she announced them, but he tried to hide it under a veil of vague intrigue.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Sasuke doesn't need friends. If you're useful he'll be around, once you've served your purpose, poof!" She rained her hands down dramatically. "He's gone." She glared. "Now answer my question."

Naruto hesitated before shrugging, "Sakura, her name was." Karin nodded sagely.

"Sakura, right. And how do _you_ know _Sasuke,_ then?" Naruto sighed at how unrelenting the woman before him was.

"Short version, met him earlier this week after I moved in here and then saw him in the coffee shop but I didn't realise it was him and basically he was a dick blah blah-" He brought both tanned hands up and opened and closed his fingers, mimicking a mouth whilst rolling his eyes. Karin grit her teeth as she watched him, unfolding her arms as her hands curled into fists.

"Shut your dirty mouth-!" She shouted, pointing a finger at the blond man. Naruto jumped slightly at the outburst, eyes wide with confusion before he dropped his hands down to his sides. He scratched his head, squinting at the red head before him.

"Then what?" Karin demanded, jaw clenched as she studied him.

Naruto hesitated before speaking, eyeing the girl before him with cautious azure eyes. "So I'm allowed to talk now or...?"

"Just finish!" Frustration dripped from her words. "How did he end up here, in your apartment?" She demanded.

"Well he used those things attached to his body called _legs_ and _walked_ over here." Naruto answered sarcastically. Karin narrowed her eyes dangerously, Naruto returning her frown.

"So you're a doctor..." Naruto affirmed, attempting a change of conversation.

"Yes." Her tone was exasperated as she walked further into the room, closer to the blond.

"And how do you know Sasuke?" Naruto asked sceptically, glancing down at the unconscious man on his bed before resting his gaze on Karin.

"We were on the same course." She said, tone clipped as if Naruto was an annoyance.

"Course for what?"

"Medicine! God are you really so dense?"

"What!" Naruto nearly shouted, shocked. "Sasuke's a doctor? Are you serious?" That would explain all the concern about my hand, Naruto thought offhandedly. "But why is he taking drugs? I honestly thought doctors being drug addicts was a made up stereoty-"

"No, Sasuke isn't a doctor, he never finished the course." She interrupted, the sentence stated matter-of-factly as she looked off to the side.

"Why?" Naruto asked, intrigued.

"What's it to you?" Karin questioned, studying her nails. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"The guy we're currently talking about is passed out on my bed, I think you can cut me some slack and tell me a little about him."

"If he wants you to know anything he'll tell you himself." She said stubbornly as she continued examining her nails, not giving in. Naruto spluttered with annoyance.

"Then who the fuck is Itachi? Tell me that at least." Naruto asked urgently, exasperated.

"Ask Sasuke." Karin bit out, annoyed.

"How can I? He's dead to the world!" The red head sighed.

"It's his brother, okay?" Naruto pursed his lips, digesting this new information. So Sasuke had a brother, surely he'd be worried.

"Should I call him and let him know about Sasuke?" The tanned man asked, hands groping for his phone. Karin snorted, causing the blond to look up at her questioningly.

"You can try, don't think the dead have phones though." She mused.

Naruto stopped groping for his phone and paused before straightening up. "Oh."

"Yah, 'oh'. Real appropriate reaction." She snorted and shook her head derisively. "What did Sasuke say about Itachi?"

"I dunno, nothing. He was staring into sweet f-a when he just said it, 'Itachi'."

"Shit." Karin muttered, eyebrows low over her eyes as she chewed a fingernail.

"Shit? Why?"

"No, nothing. It's none of your concern, it must have been the drugs talking." Naruto eyed her suspiciously as she continued to pick at her nails.

"Well what about his mum? Dad?" Naruto tried again, forehead creased in concern. She dropped her hands dramatically.

"Nope, nada." Karin stated with a shake of her head. "Also dead." She confirmed unnecessarily with a nod.

"How-" Naruto started as Karin glanced down and checked her watch, muttering a curse and cutting him off as she saw the time.

"I have to go." She announced, grabbing her bag from the foot of Sasuke's bed and slinging it onto her shoulder.

"What? What about Sasuke?" Naruto questioned desperately, taking a few steps towards the red head. He was keen for her to stay, she knew what she was doing, unlike him.

"He'll be fine now, he just needs to rest." She waved impatiently, striding to the door.

"And what do you propose I do, huh?" Naruto asked incredulously as he gestured wildly in Sasuke's direction. Karin stopped and spun round.

"Just keep an eye on him, he should wake up soon. He'll probably have one hell of a headache and he might feel a little fragile but he's not in danger. Give him some water and maybe some soup but no solid foods, got it?" She glared at Naruto, holding his gaze.

"Yeah I got it." Naruto said with a gulp, eyes wide and unsure. "No soup, just solids." Karin frowned, unimpressed.

"Other way round. His stomach needs to settle."

"I'm really not sure I'm the best person to be here," Naruto stated desperately. "I mean I don't mind keeping an eye on the guy but I'm not a doctor like you, if something happens I'm not going to know what to do." Naruto brought a hand to his forehead, massaging his temples.

"But I _am_ a doctor, and I'm telling you that everything is going to be absolutely one hundred percent fine. Him being sick earlier helped us a lot. I've done everything I can, I don't need to be here anymore."

"Well what if Sasuke has more of those drugs that he's taking? He might take them again, they could be really dodgy, who knows where he's getting them from." Naruto beseeched, folding his arms.

Karin bristled, "They aren't dodgy, thank you." She bit out.

"How would you know?" Naruto questioned, head tilting to the side slightly. She fiddled with her glasses, visibly flustered.

"I'm just speculating, Sasuke isn't stupid I'm sure he gets them from a reliable and upstanding wom- er person. Now I really do have to go-" She turned to leave again, stalking across Naruto's bedroom carpet, heading for the door. Naruto frowned at her reaction but let her leave this time.

"Ah, Karin?" He asked, realisation dawning on him. She turned at the door impatiently. "You should stop giving Sasuke those drugs."

"What?! Don't be so ridiculous...!" Her face lit up like a Christmas tree as she reeled from the blonds blunt statement.

"Are you scared if you stop then he won't need you anymore? You basically said it yourself." She spluttered and tried to gather her words.

"You don't know _anything_ Naruto, don't try to pretend. You met Sasuke less than a week ago. Just you wait Naruto, just wait and see. I can't wait to see what you do to try to keep him around."

It was Naruto's turn to splutter.

"I'm not going to do anything!"

"You will, you won't be able to help yourself. That's how it is with him. You've already spent a whole evening with me, and I can tell you don't like me. For what? Someone you just met? Plus, you did exactly what Sasuke asked you to do even though you didn't agree with it. You could have called an ambulance, Sasuke wouldn't have been able to stop you."

"I didn't even invite him over in the first place." Naruto reinforced loudly.

"Then why did you let him in?"

"He came to apologise, what was I supposed to do."

"Did he? Did he apologise to you?"

Naruto considered her statement, realisation dawning on his face as he recalled their conversation. Sasuke hadn't got round to apologising at all. Karin smiled but it was sinister.

"He wanted to make sure nothing happened to him, that's why he came over, self preservation. Just in case." There was no hesitation in her words, she was resolute.

"You're over analysing. What about my hand, then?"

"No, I know Sasuke." She confirmed adamantly, "And what about your hand?"

"I burnt it, well scalded it. He gave me advice, brought me some stuff for it." Karin hesitated, unsure how to respond.

"Probably just because you're such a dumbass he felt sorry for you." She hissed spitefully.

"You don't even seem to like him Karin." Naruto muttered hotly.

"Oh I don't like what he does and how he is now. He doesn't allow himself to have friends and he manipulates everyone to suit his needs. But I get that, I'll still defend him, I'll be there."

"What the fuck-"

"I just want him to be happy again. If this is all I can do for him to make him happy then I'll carry on." She glared with bright eyes.

"That's fucked up, you could kill him, you're enabling him."

"I'm giving him what he wants."

"That doesn't mean it's the right thing!"

"I don't care! Sakura understands! If someone you love asks you to do something, you do it...!" She realised a split second later what she had said, heat rushing up her neck and her mouth falling open as she stuttered. Naruto raised an eyebrow at her as she attempted to come up with an excuse, and failed.

"J-just you wait Naruto! If you stick around it'll be the same for you!" Karin turned violently and stormed out of the room, exiting the apartment with a loud slam of Naruto's front door.

Naruto stood awkwardly in his bedroom, unsure of what to do. He shook his head in disbelief and rounded the bed, pulling a bean bag over to it and lowering himself slowly, attempting to be quiet as the small balls shifted against each other. When he got comfortable he propped his legs up on the mattress with a grumble and waited.

Xxxxx

Standing outside Naruto's front door, Karin looked left and then right with calculating eyes. The hall way was quiet and still, the occupants of the apartments not quite ready to stir yet.

Karin turned left and strode purposefully towards Sasuke's front door. When she reached it she glanced around again to make sure she was still alone. Naruto hadn't followed her. Good. She gave the battered door a gentle push and slipped inside silently before proceeding to Sasuke's front room. Flicking the light on she glanced around quickly to take in all of her surroundings, wanting to get in and out. She paced around quickly, flicking her red hair impatiently out of her face as she delved through Sasuke's things. He kept his apartment bare, so it didn't take long.

She was furious that Naruto had managed to drag so much information out of her, causing her to be heavy handed with what little Sasuke had. How dare Naruto, making her out to be some sort of criminal. She was always very careful when it came to the dark haired man. She wanted to look after him, she knew what was best for him, she _knew_.

Maybe Naruto was right. She was being selfish, trying to keep Sasuke around, make him need her. She was making things worse by giving him what he wanted.

Even if Sasuke ended up hating her, she'd be the one to get through to him.

Karin sniffed and grunted in frustration, giving the room a once over with her hands on her hips.

"If I were- ah." She whispered, eyes suddenly fixated on Sasuke's dark wooden book shelf. She quickly crossed the room and plucked the wooden box from the shelf and opened the lid. She allowed herself a satisfied and relieved smile when her eyes fell on the pill bottle, but it disappeared quickly, replaced with an anguished expression, her head drooping with worry. She placed the wooden box back on the shelf carefully and opened her messenger bag before popping the bottle top and tipping the few remaining pills inside. She dug around with her spare hand and brought another pill bottle out, opening the top and tipping a few out and then placing them back into Sasuke's pill bottle. She replaced the lid and bit her lip, putting the bottle back into the wooden box and closing it before stepping back, hands limp at her sides.

"I'm so sorry Sasuke." She whispered, staring at the bookcase desperately. Tears welled up in her eyes and she grit her teeth. Averting her eyes she glanced around quickly to make sure the room was relatively the same as when she'd arrived. She straightened a few items before being satisfied enough to head home.

Xxxxx

Naruto rubbed tired azure eyes as he paced his living room with heavy feet. He had his mobile phone pressed lightly to his ear, his expression irritated.

"I know, I'm sorry Shizune but it's an emergency." He folded himself down onto the sofa as he grumbled. "I wouldn't ask if it wasn't." He listened stubbornly, mouth turned down as the woman on the other end gave him an earful.

"Okay okay, yes I will. I'll take the hit. Yes, thank you." Naruto pressed the end call button on the screen and moodily chucked the phone onto the sofa next to him, face sour. Now he'd lose a day's pay, fantastic.

Naruto looked up as he heard quiet footsteps, Sasuke appearing in the front room doorway.

"So you're finally awake." Naruto huffed.

"No, I'm sleepwalking." Sasuke answered sarcastically, hand held to his head. Naruto narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Don't start shit Sasuke, I'm too tired and fucked off to humour you right now." Sasuke dropped his hand and glared before sighing and propping himself up against the wall. He needed a favour, he'd have to be some semblance of nice.

"I over heard your phone call."

"So you were eavesdropping on my private conversation." With a tut Naruto leant back on the sofa.

"I'll reimburse you for the wages you're losing today." Sasuke stated, crossing his arms. His head was pounding furiously, but it was a welcome pain in comparison to the night before.

"I don't need your charity." Naruto spat, pouting like a child.

"It's not charity, I need you to let me stay here today. I'll have to get someone in to fix my door, plus it's better if I'm with someone just in case something happens." Sasuke stated clinically, dark eyes tired despite all the sleep he'd had. Naruto looked at him incredulously.

"Are you serious? You do realise you didn't just ask for my help, you demanded it." The blond man's blue eyes were wide and he gave a humourless chuckle. "Karin was right."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "What did Karin say." He demanded quickly.

"Oh only that you're a manipulative bastard who uses people until you're done with them." Naruto's tone was low and fiery.

"Hn."

"You're not denying it."

"Well it seems like you've already made up your mind, regardless." Naruto sighed, looking up Sasuke with displeasure.

"Say please." Naruto stated monotonously.

"What?" Sasuke asked, mildly stumped at the demand.

"Say please, and I'll let you stay here." Naruto said with a cocky grin, suddenly enjoying himself. He brought his hands up behind his head and continued smiling at the stoic man, swaying slightly from side to side. Sasuke grimaced slightly as he looked at the blond man before him.

"Considering your condition you'd be better off making your decision sooner rather than later." Naruto noted.

A few seconds passed before Sasuke closed his eyes.

"Please."He muttered, pale lips barely moving.

"And we're gooooooood!" Naruto shouted, startling the dark haired man as he jumped up for the couch. "Not gonna lie, I've got a lot, a LOT of questions for you." Naruto rounded his coffee table and placed his hands on Sasuke's shoulders, dark eyes glaring into blue as he was steered to the couch.

"Here we go." Naruto asserted, turning the dark haired man and gently pushing him onto the sofa. "Make yourself comfortable. I'm gonna get your phone-"

"I already picked it up." Sasuke stated in annoyance, his posture rigid.

"Even better, you bastard. Drink? Soup?" Naruto queried, looming over him.

Sasuke sighed and gently settled into the couch. "I'll just have a tea."

"Tea for the bastard coming up." Naruto headed off to the kitchen, swivelling on his heel when he reached the door way. "Oh by the way, I wouldn't have kicked you out if you hadn't of said please. Come on, I'm not a jerk. You're in no fit state." Naruto said, flashing another bright smile before walking into the kitchen and disappearing from Sasuke's sight.

Sasuke grit his teeth in irritation. Maybe he should just call Sakura. He listened to the blond move around the kitchen, cups clinking and cupboard doors shutting as the kettle boiled. Sasuke could just make out Naruto whistling something or other.

No, Sakura would smother him and he'd end up saying something he'd regret.

Naruto returned a few moments later, two mugs in his hands. He handed one to Sasuke who replied with thanks, before Naruto settled down next to him.

The blond blew on the hot beverage, looking at Sasuke out of the corner of his eye.

"So Karin is weird." He stated, waiting for Sasuke's reaction. When he got none, he prompted the dark haired man further. "Hard to tell if she loves or hates you more."

"She's been a good friend to me." Sasuke stated vaguely, sipping his drink.

"She your only drug dealer friend or you got more?" Naruto asked flippantly. He watched as Sasuke's eyes grew big, then narrowed.

"Karin's the only one." He answered smoothly, still not looking at the blond. Naruto nodded.

"Right. And what are you trying to forget exactly?" He asked, continuing their conversation from the night before. Sasuke didn't respond. Didn't get angry. Just continued staring ahead. "Sasuke?"

"Look, please Naruto. I don't want to talk about it right now." Naruto looked at him, really took the other in. He looked exhausted. His shoulders were slumped and his hair was limp. Days old clothes hung on his frame, wrinkled and worn.

"Okay." Naruto said softly. "I'll drop it, for now. But I'm not going to forget." He added quickly.

Sasuke graced Naruto with a small smirk, turning his head to look at him. "Of course you won't." Naruto started at the look he was receiving, momentarily speechless before he gave a chuckle, breaking their eye contact.

"Right. So you look like shit, no offence." Sasuke frowned. "But! I'mma help you out so I'll run a bath and while it's filling up I'll grab some stuff from your house. Cool?"

"Sure." Sasuke acquiesced, taking a large sip of his drink as the blond bounded up and left the room.

Naruto opened the bathroom door and stepped inside, putting the plug in the bath and turning on the faucet. He checked the temperature with his hand as he leant over the bath, his other hand on the tiles for support. Once satisfied he pushed himself up and leant against the sink.

A deep pink flushed up his neck as he recalled the look Sasuke had given him. Naruto rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, eyebrows drawn together. He glanced up and took in his appearance in the mirror opposite. He shook his head and laughed slightly, deciding to blame his blush on the heat of the bath water as he left the room.

"Need anything else from your place?" He shouted as he pushed his feet into his trainers. He looked up to see Sasuke walking towards him.

"I'll go." Sasuke answered, looking around to find his own shoes.

Suspicious, Naruto shook his head slowly.

"No it's fine, I'll go." He insisted. "Not like you need much, I'm sure I can find your clothes."

"I said I'll go." Sasuke insisted, grunting when he couldn't find his shoes. "Where are my shoes."

"Around. Why do you want to go so badly, huh?" Naruto asked, shrugging on a hoody.

"It's my apartment." He stated lamely, eyeing the blond man. Realisation dawned slowly on Naruto.

"Tell me where the drugs are Sasuke." He demanded, glaring.

"No." Was the stubborn response.

"I swear to God Sasuke I will tear your apartment inside out, you are not getting those things back do you hear me? You stupid bastard, are you listening?!" Sasuke's headache spiked unpleasantly at Naruto's tone of voice and he closed an eye, rubbing his forehead.

"Whatever, find them yourself." He grumbled moodily, not caring in his current state. Naruto watched as Sasuke headed back to the living room. The blond heaved a sigh of relief.

Before leaving he shut off the bath, grabbed his keys and set off down the corridor.

Xxxxx

Thanks for taking the time to read this little fic of mine! I hope you're enjoying it so far! I'd love to hear any comments/suggestions/ideas, really fuels me to write quicker. It's always inspiring to hear what you guys think. I've got an idea for a vampire fic, what do you guys think? Let me know! I'd love to chat.


	5. Chapter 5

Finally! Apologies to anyway who's been waiting for the next chapter! I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Xxxxx

Naruto pushed open his front door and shut it behind himself, a rucksack grasped in his free hand.

"Sasuke? I got your stuff here." He voiced loudly as he walked into the living room, dumping Sasuke's bag on the floor. He looked around and found the room empty, the dark haired man no longer sitting on his couch.

"Oi, Sasuke?" Naruto questioned, wandering back into the hall and pausing outside the bathroom door. He tried the handle and the door held fast. "You okay in there?" The tanned man awaited a response as his palms began to get clammy, mere silence surrounding him.

"Sasuke!" He shouted, banging once loudly on the bathroom door with his fist. He heard water slosh against the side of the bath and an angry grunt.

"What." Was the grumpy response. "I'm trying to take a bath."

"Don't do that to me you bastard." Naruto sighed, clutching a handful of his hoody dramatically as he closed his eyes and spoke through the door. "I thought something had happened."

"Were you worried?" Sasuke asked bluntly but with an inflection Naruto couldn't decipher.

"Well yeah, of course, Karin told me to keep an eye on you." Naruto straightened up and kicked the door. "Plus I'm not gonna get paid for today if you decide to kick the bucket." He said mockingly.

He heard a snort from within the bathroom. Naruto unknowingly smiled and glanced down at the floor, relief flooding his features as he wandered into the front room and sprawled out on the couch. He lifted his bum and wiggled his phone out of his pocket before unlocking it and shifting through his messages.

Naruto frowned at the device."Oh shi-"

"Is this my stuff?" Sasuke asked. Naruto's perplexed eyes flickered up from his phone to regard the dark haired man, his phone forgotten as he let out a bark of laughter and kicked his heels against the couch cushions. He received a glare in response. "It was the only one I could find." Sasuke supplied irritably.

"Yah yah, whatever, orange really isn't your colour." Naruto snickered to himself whilst directing his attention back to his phone.

"Idiot. I asked you a question."

"Hm?" Naruto glanced up and Sasuke nodded at the rucksack. "Oh, yeah that's yours." Sasuke picked it up gingerly, opening the front zip as Naruto tapped out a message on his phone. The blond discretely looked up to take in the other whilst he was distracted. His favourite orange towel hung low on Sasuke's hips and a smaller towel fit snugly around his neck. Dark hair dripped water as Sasuke dug through the bag inspecting what Naruto had packed. Naruto pursed his lips, hitting the send button without taking his eyes off the other.

"One pair of boxers." Sasuke stated, throwing Naruto a frown over his shoulder. Naruto averted his gaze away from Sasuke with a pout.

"What? You're only staying for today." Naruto reasoned, setting his phone down next to him before lifting his eyes again. "By the way do you own any clothes that have any actual colour? Rather than fifty shades of grey." Naruto mocked with a raised eyebrow. "I looked and looked but no joy." He said sarcastically with a shrug. Sasuke shook his head with a sigh and headed out of the room clasping the bag.

Naruto felt his phone vibrate and snatched it up again. He frowned at the screen and chewed his lip in concentration as he sent off another reply then let his phone rest on his stomach. He huffed impatiently. After a few moments of finger tapping and leg bouncing Naruto's patience deserted him.

"Sasuke?" Naruto barked as he pushed himself up from the sofa and made his way across the room whilst pocketing his phone. He hooked his hand onto the door frame and propelled himself round, grabbing hold of his bedroom door handle and pushing it inwards. "Listen I got a text from Kiba-" Sasuke turned his head quickly and scowled.

"Don't just walk in on people." He bit out angrily. His eyes were filled with hostility and Naruto looked sheepish as he halted in the door way.

"Jeez calm down, you're not running around with your dick out, chill." Naruto dragged out the last word with a raised eyebrow as he noticed something in Sasuke's pale hands. "What's that?" Naruto queried warily. Sasuke let out a silent sigh of resignation and turned to face the blond behind him. He held out the picture frame and gestured lazily with it, Naruto's eyes showing his confusion.

"I was just looking at it." Sasuke admitted. The blond man heaved and released a loud exasperated sigh.

"You mean you went through my unpacked stuff, found it, pulled it out and _now_ you're _just looking at it_." Naruto brought his tanned hands up and made quotation marks with his fingers whilst his eyes glared lightly. Sasuke remained stoic with the picture frame held out awkwardly as he watched the blond.

"I don't mind you looking at it Sasuke, but don't have a go at me when I catch you." Naruto stuck out his tongue playfully as he walked forward and accepted the picture frame. He studied the photo and visibly melted as a big grin spread across his tanned features.

Sasuke watched Naruto closely. Smiling suited Naruto. His whole face lit up and he appeared to glow with positive energy. Sasuke grit his teeth unconsciously and indicated the picture with a lift of his chin.

"Who is it?" Sasuke asked. He was unable to help himself, he had to know who it was that managed to pull such light from the blond man.

Naruto turned the frame around and pointed to it. "This is-" He started but suddenly stopped with a frown as he felt his phone vibrate yet again. "Hang on." He mumbled as he placed the frame on top of the bed and pulled the slim device out. He read the screen and glanced up at Sasuke before hitting the reply button.

"Idiot, tell me-."

"It's Kiba, he's downstairs with the beer." The blond said excitedly, "For my flat-warming party tonight! I forgot, a little bit, sorry, but it's too late to rearrange it now." Naruto offered charmingly as Sasuke's frown deepened. "You're obviously invited still! But you shouldn't really drink, I think." Naruto held his phone against his mouth as he spoke, remembering Karin's words. "Don't think Karin would approve. Hey!" Naruto exclaimed loudly as he flung his arms wide and closed the space between them quickly. "You should invite your friends too! Sakura and Karin? Blow off some steam?" Naruto clapped him lightly on the shoulder in his excitement. "Sober steam for you, of course." He added with a light snicker.

Sasuke flung his arm out and severed the friendly contact between them.

"I'd rather not. I'll stay here until the repairman fixes my door, then I'll be out of your way."

"Sasuke you're not 'in my way'." Naruto said with a snort and a dismissive wave of his hand as he turned around and headed for the door. "In fact I'd feel better if you stayed here a bit longer anyway." He added, glancing over his shoulder.

"So you can keep an eye on me?" Sasuke mocked with an arched eyebrow.

"Well, yeah." Naruto answered with a frown. "Why else? I don't want anything else to happen to you." The blond finished. Sincerity sung throughout his words, light and bouncy, but solid. Sasuke froze. His pale face was an impassive unreadable mask as Naruto bounded out the doorway and down the hall to get the front door. But Sasuke felt an uncomfortable thump within his chest. Felt his breath catch in his throat for a split second.

How bizarre. How uncomfortable.

How frighteningly welcome.

He hated it.

Sasuke mused internally for a few moments, analysing the odd feeling. He grit his teeth irritably. If the blond was drinking tonight he'd be in no fit state to look after himself, let alone anyone else. There really was no point in staying.

"Sasuke? Helloooooo." Naruto leaned into the room, his elbows bent as his hands rested on the door frame.

Sasuke crossed his arms as he was brought back to the present.

"What?" He asked impatiently as Naruto hung his head in slight exasperation.

"I said come and meet Kiba." The blond repeated just as a brunet peaked over Naruto's shoulder.

"Hey man, nice to meet you- Oh my _God_ , Naruto." Kiba barked with annoyance as a deep frown marred his features. "Come on man, are you serious? This is the prick from the other day!" He exclaimed loudly as Naruto winced slightly.

The blond turned and scratched his head as Sasuke sat on the edge of his bed and eyed the two of them. "What prick?" Naruto asked in confusion.

" _The_ prick, Naruto, THE PRICK." Kiba's hand curled into loose fists as he regarded the dark haired man before him. "This douche is the one who wouldn't hold the lift for me." Kiba said through gritted teeth. Naruto blinked and turned again, this time to study Sasuke. The pale man narrowed his dark eyes. Naruto hummed as he considered the situation.

"That actually makes a lot of sense, Sasuke's a bit of a bastard." Naruto mused knowingly whilst nodding his head sagely. "Yes yes, I can imagine it now."

" _Thank you._ " Kiba muttered gruffly before pointing at his own face. "And I don't associate with _pricks._ " He announced childishly. Naruto frowned.

"Kiba come on man, Sasuke's a bastard but-"

"Don't make excuses for his shitty manners dude!"

"I'm not! Who's being a prick now, huh?" Naruto remarked as he shoved Kiba lightly. "You're not exactly an angel yourself."

"Are you fucking kidding me Naruto?"

"No I'm not fucking kidding you." Naruto mocked as Kiba swung an arm around his neck and closed the hold before Naruto could manoeuvre himself out of the way. Naruto didn't seem surprised in the slightest by the development as he protested loudly.

"Whatcha gonna do now Uzumaki?" The brunet mocked as he tightened his hold and rubbed the top of Naruto's head with his other hand. Naruto grunted and pulled backwards unsuccessfully, his head still trapped by the other. They grappled roughly around the hallway, barking insults at each other. Naruto changed tactic and landed a playful blow to his friend's stomach with enough force for Kiba's grip to loosen. It wasn't much however it was enough for Naruto to lever the other's arm, allowing him to wrench his head free and trip back a few steps. He recovered quickly, Kiba receiving a forceful shove from the blond and stumbling away from the door way, out of Sasuke's line of sight.

Naruto put his hands on his hips and grinned at Sasuke. "As long as you keep Kiba on a tight leash-" Sasuke watched in amusement as Naruto lifted his leg and brought his hands up to brace himself as he was tackled around the waist by the other man. Naruto's face seemed to change in slow motion and Sasuke couldn't help the amused smirk that crawled across his own face as Naruto and Kiba disappeared from his view.

Sasuke listened with one ear as the pair crashed to the floor, followed by a loud groan and then a cry of triumph.

Hushed talking followed, much to Sasuke's chagrin. The volume of Naruto's speech fluctuated a few times, something Sasuke had noticed about the blond. No tactical volume control at all. After a few moments Kiba appeared in the doorway with an unruly looking Naruto. Sasuke glared at the pair of them. He was sure he'd been their topic of conversation.

"I'll drop it." Kiba announced with a lift of his chin, confirming Sasuke's suspicions. "But you're still a prick." The brunet added.

"It's fine." Sasuke answered amicably as he studied the man indifferently, but fumed silently to himself. Naruto cuffed Kiba lightly upside the head which earned him a narrow glare from the tattoo'd man. "Besides, if 'prick' is the best you can come up with, I'll have to try harder." Sasuke added with nonchalance. Naruto visibly blanched before dragging a tanned hand down his face.

"Really? You couldn't just leave it?" Naruto huffed incredulously as his friend fumed beside him.

"Naruto the guy's a fucking dickwad!" Kiba hollerred in disbelief.

"Urghhh, for fuck sakes, Kiba!" Naruto felt frustration well within him as he spun in a small circle to relieve some adrenaline.

"Why the fuck are you shouting at me for!"

"You're rising to his bait!" Naruto fumed incredulously as he pointed at Sasuke.

"Tell him to stop waving his shitty bait around then!" Kiba ground out as he emphasised his point dramatically with his hands.

Naruto shifted his stance and glared at Sasuke. The dark haired man held his gaze and Naruto hung his head dramatically. "Honestly, I should be a basic bitch because I literally _can't even_ with the two of your right now." Naruto moaned pitifully as he pushed Kiba out of Sasuke's sight. "Thanks for bringing the beer, I'll see you tonight dog breath." Naruto finalised, indicating the front door with his hand. Kiba moved back towards Naruto and glanced at Sasuke with hostility before shaking his head and marching away, Naruto on his heels.

"Are you seriously kicking me out? Over him?" Kiba asked as they approached the blond's front door.

"No I'm not kicking you out, or him for that matter."

"Well no offence but you're obviously not kicking that douchebag out, I'm the one you just fucking walked to your front door." He snorted and shook his head as he turned to face Naruto.

"Listen! You're so bloody precious! Just trust me, yeah? I'll see you tonight." Naruto encouraged as Kiba unlatched the lock and strolled out of his doorway.

"Yeah whatever." The brunet muttered as he wandered down the hall.

"Bring some jäger." Naruto added as an after thought, peering down the hall. Without turning round Kiba flipped him off. Naruto snickered childishly before returning inside and shutting the door. He wandered back to his bedroom to find Sasuke still perched on his bed.

"'Sup?" Naruto voiced casually as he fell onto his bean bag.

"Your friend," The word was dragged out with a cocked eyebrow, "has a huge mouth."

"He's alright." Naruto countered easily. "He's a good person, once you get to know him." The blond looked pointedly at Sasuke who held his gaze expertly.

"Hopefully I won't have the pleasure." Sasuke muttered, closing his eyes and leaning back on his hands. Naruto sighed.

"Doesn't matter anyway, he's coming tonight whether you're happy about it or not."

"And I've already told you that I won't be attending your party."

"This again?" Naruto moaned as he dropped his head back, then brought it forward again to regard the other. "Sasuke, please, seriously. It's not going to be crazy, just stay."

Sasuke studied the blonds face out of the corner of his eye. Naruto sat hunched forward on the bean bag with his hands resting at his sides. His face was creased with poorly concealed worry.

"No." Sasuke dead-panned. Naruto groaned with impatience.

"Why can't you just accept my help on this?"

"Because I don't need it. I'll be out of your hair once my door is fixed, as I said."

"Saying you don't need my help is pretty rich considering everything that's happened."

Sasuke glared at the blond, taking in his casual appearance yet stern expression. It didn't suit him.

"Fine." Naruto declared temporary defeat with a dramatic lift of his hands. "But if you think you're about to croak it try and drag yourself over here." The blond muttered as he pulled himself up and left the room.

Xxxxx

"Sorry 'bout that, nothin' I can do 'bout it."

Sasuke felt his eye twitch as the stout man before him casually slung his tool bag over his shoulder. He handed Sasuke the key to the crudely attached padlock screwed high up on his front door.

"I've ordered it now so should be all good for Monday. Wouldn't recommend leavin' any valuables on the premises, should take them with you to your friend's house for safe keeping." Sasuke considered the implication of the man's statement. Obviously he was suggesting Sasuke make other living arrangements until such a time that his front door be replaced.

Sasuke silently seethed to himself as he said goodbye to the repair man and approached Naruto's open front door. He pushed the door and unhooked the latch, closing the door behind himself with a gentle click. He removed his shoes and strode to the living room to find Naruto sat cross legged in front of his television. He had a cup ramen placed on his coffee table and his attention was riveted on the game on the screen, his fingers flying across the controller.

"All fixed?" He asked casually without tearing his eyes away from the screen. His tongue poked out in concentration, something Sasuke found irritating.

"Hn." He muttered as he sat on the couch and watched Naruto play. After a few minutes and when Naruto found a save point, the blond turned around and picked up his lunch.

"That a yes?" He asked whilst slurping a few noodles. Sasuke glared.

"No."

"Why?" Naruto asked immediately.

"The whole door needs replacing."

Naruto stopped mid slurp, looking up at Sasuke through his blond hair. "Well shit." He mumbled as the noodles dangled from his lips.

"Yeah." Sasuke replied as Naruto shoved the dripping noodles into his mouth. "Because two idiots decided to ruin my current one."

"Hey," Naruto snapped quickly whilst pointing his fork at the dark haired man."Don't call Sakura an idiot. Besides, I'm the one who actually carried out the door-busting."

"So you're admitting liability?"

"Yeah..."

"I suppose you can pay for it then." Naruto choked and spluttered.

"Uhm." The blond looked around the front room, his eyes falling on what little he owned. "I could pay you back...?" Sasuke smirked.

"I'll be generous." Sasuke stated. The blond eyed him suspiciously. "Let me stay here until Monday and I'll take that as payment."

"Let me stay here... Please?" Naruto attempted whilst flashing a playful grin at the other man.

Sasuke eyed him with disdain and let his lack of answer speak for itself.

"Fine, fine." Naruto shrugged and continued eating. "I don't mind, I'll take the couch. Guess things are going to work out how I wanted." He mused happily, mostly to himself.

"Hn. I suppose."

Naruto paused again but kept his eyes riveted to his lunch as he spoke. "Don't get all prissy with me when I say this." He warned as he dared a glance at the other. Sasuke felt his face settle into a glare and Naruto frowned in response. "You're already glaring."

"I don't like where this is going." Sasuke stated as he held Naruto's gaze. Naruto refused to back down and found his resolve as they stared at each other.

"Considering everything that's happened in the last twenty four hours, I really don't think you should be by yourself in your flat, I've made that much obvious, so I'm kind of relieved that you're staying here. Plus, and I'm being completely transparent here, when you start getting withdrawal symptoms and you try to run to Karin she won't be able to say no to you. But I'll be able to say no to you. I can be here so you can get through it." Sasuke held his scowl as goosebumps sprung up along his arms, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He shifted minutely, uncomfortable, as he stared Naruto down with his narrow gaze. He wasn't sure how to analyse his own reaction. Was he just angry at the implication of Naruto's words? Knowing Naruto didn't intend for him to continue his prescription?

"I take it you've got no immediate plans to give me my medication back, then." He clarified.

"Pfft, no. That's an understatement." Naruto chortled to himself without humour as he twirled some noodles around absently. "Calling it medication is a bit of a stretch."

"What would you call it, then?" Sasuke asked sarcastically.

"Drugs?" Naruto offered helpfully, his answer pulling a small snort from the dark haired man.

"All hospital medication is classed as a type of drug." Sasuke countered with authority.

"You know that's not what I meant Sasuke. What you're doing is drug abuse. You're a drug addict." Naruto stated matter of factly with no ounce of tact.

Sasuke brought his fist down abruptly onto the coffee table making Naruto jump and flick his fork onto the floor, blue eyes wide.

"I am _not_ a drug addict." He ground out through gritted teeth. Naruto slowly picked up his fork and wiped it on his jeans pointedly before shoving it into the noodle pot and placing it on the coffee table. He leant on the surface with his forearm and regarded the other calmly, one knee bent.

"That's exactly what a drug addict would say."

"Do you have any original lines at all." Sasuke mocked, his fist still curled tightly.

"Not really, I watch too much tele." Naruto mused as he stared into the others eyes. Sasuke could feel the need to look away, he wanted to look away, but he couldn't bring himself to. "I also know when someone's trying to change the conversation topic."

"A moron would have been able to deduce that. Besides there's nothing more to say on the matter." The pale man declared as his fist relaxed and he splayed his hand out on the table. "Least of all with you."

Naruto bristled slightly at the stoic words as he fought to keep calm.

"Yeah, okay, whatever. You're a bastard, I can deal. I got this." Naruto encouraged himself loudly with closed eyes, much to his temporary room mate's amusement. Sasuke removed his hand from the coffee table and leant back casually on the couch, feigning aloofness. Naruto looked at the other intently and could see the defensiveness in the set of his shoulders and he clicked his tongue whilst raising his eyebrows quickly and shaking his head.

"You need to seriously re-evaluate dude." Naruto added indifferently as he fumbled for his trilling phone.

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow as the blond shifted his attention to the slim device in his hand. He tapped out a message with expert fingers before sending it and pushing himself onto his knees to re-insert the phone into the back pocket of his jeans.

"I'm going to pop out for a bit to err, get some supplies for tonight."

"More alcohol?" Sasuke asked with little interest.

"Yeah! Yeah, more alcohol. Maybe some... nibbles." Naruto let out a short bubble of laughter that he abruptly stopped, having shocked himself with his outburst. Sasuke scrutinised the blond as he picked up the games console control to switch off the device completely, the tips of his tanned ears tinged a bright pink. The pale man tapped his fingers impatiently.

"I'll go with you." He commented after a few moments. Naruto's head turned quickly, surprised.

"No I'll be fine." Naruto offered a sheepish smile and tossed the controller to the other man. Sasuke caught it expertly as Naruto waved his hand at Sasuke's offer. "Probably best you just stay here and chill, you know. It's cold out there, and I won't be long. So yeah." Naruto nodded, mostly to himself and his got up and headed out of the room, patting his pockets to check he had everything.

"I'll... stay here." Sasuke muttered to himself. He wasn't upset. He was pissed off. The blond wasn't a good liar. He had to be hiding something.

Naruto's head appeared in the doorway and Sasuke looked up with a practiced look of apathy. "Want anything?"

Sasuke shook his head negative and dismissed Naruto with his gaze. Naruto pouted childishly and sighed before heading out of the apartment.

xxxxx

Naruto zipped his jacket up high to his chin and cursed as pink tinged his cheek. He'd never been a very good liar and it didn't look like that was going to change anytime soon.

He marched across the foyer of his apartment building and stepped through the large entry way doors out into the chilly London air, glancing left and then right. He walked up the road and when he spotted a crop of pink hair being flung around in the wind he brightened up and headed over.

"Sakura." He greeted cheerfully with a quick wave before shoving his hand back into his pocket.

"Hey, Naruto. Thanks for coming out to see me." She answered neutrally. Her green eyes were cloudy and tired looking. "How's Sasuke doing?" She asked with force as she studied him.

"He's fine, not dead yet." Naruto returned offhandedly before grimacing when he saw Sakura's glare.

"This isn't a joke Naruto." She chastised with a sigh, shrugging her shoulders to keep warm. "This really could have been it for him." She mused sadly whilst glancing at the floor. Naruto opened his mouth to retort that it actually didn't seem like it had been that bad an episode at all, in the grand scheme of things, but thought better of it and snapped his mouth shut instead. He'd rather not submit himself to another telling off.

"Why didn't you want to come up to my apartment, see for yourself?" Naruto questioned as he moved out of the way of other pedestrians. Sakura grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and stepped back towards the wall of the building and out of the way of traffic, pulling Naruto along with her. He smiled an apology and leant against the wall with his shoulder as she released her hold. The shape of the building shielded them from the bulk of the wind but Naruto kept his hands tucked away regardless.

"Sasuke doesn't-" She stopped and considered her words. "I don't think he wants to see me right now." She stated glumly. Her gloved hands hung limp at her sides as she hung her head. Naruto grinned, his eyes squinting with sincerity.

"He's okay Sakura, I promise." Sakura glanced at him through her hair and felt her mouth part slightly as tears welled in her eyes. She nodded and sniffed, the end of her nose pink from the cold. Naruto stopped smiling and frowned as he took in Sakura's appearance with a panicked look on his face.

"Ahh Sakura, don't cry." He offered awkwardly with his hands limply outstretched to beseech her, worry etched all over his face. She turned and observed him for a brief moment then advanced forward swiftly. She extended her own arms and brought them quickly around his torso to pull him in against her, unmindful of the world moving passed around her. Naruto stood shocked for a moment as she clutched desperately to his jacket, before resting his arms around her shoulders and leaning his back against the brick of the building. As the warm heavy weight settled around her Sakura let a ragged sob demolish the remainder of her resolve. They stood still for a couple of minutes as the pink haired girl attempted to collect herself.

"I'm so sorry Naruto." She finally sniffled pathetically into his chest as she spoke.

"Why?" Naruto asked with confusion etched into his tone.

"For being so pitiful, it's embarrassing." She sniffed awkwardly and pulled back slightly after a few moments to look up into his tanned face. "Making you text me all day." She clarified.

"It's fine, I don't mind. But I'm just pretty sure Sasuke knew I was lying when I said I was going out to get stuff for tonight though, I'm not a very good liar." Naruto supplied bashfully as he scratched his cheek. Sakura laughed lightly in return as she pulled out of the hug and moved away.

"That's a good thing, means you don't make a habit of it." She said as she wiped her cheeks with her gloved fingers.

"Who does?"

"You'd be surprised." She answered knowingly. Naruto shrugged and nodded in return as he cupped his hands and blew into them to generate some heat.

"I was going to come up but I've lost my nerve now." Sakura hummed despondently to herself as Naruto rubbed his hands together. She arched an eyebrow and indicated his hands with a tilt of her head. "You really ought to invest in some gloves Naruto."

"I have a pair! I just left them somewhere in my apartment." The blond moaned with frustration at his own lack of preparation. He'd been in such a rush to leave he'd forgotten about picking up his gloves or scarf completely. Sakura blinked a few times as Naruto continued trying to warm his hands up. Naruto wore blue jeans but his jacket was orange with black trimming. Come to think of it, the blond had been wearing orange the last time she'd seem him too.

"Are they orange?" Naruto looked at her, his eyes querying her question. "Your gloves." She clarified.

"Oh! Yeah, how did you know?"

Sakura smiled slightly and looked away. "Just a guess." She let out a relieved sigh and Naruto turned his head to give her a strange look.

"Okaaaay." He drawled out with a small pout. "Listen, why don't you come to my house party tonight? That way you can see Sasuke for yourself." He suggested.

She considered it for a moment and hummed. "I'm not sure. How would we explain that to Sasuke? He'd know that we've been contacting each other." She mused.

"Well why don't we just tell him? I'm sure he'd understan-"

"He'd be mad pissed Naruto." Sakura interrupted with exasperation permeating her words. Surely Naruto should grasp at least that much about Sasuke by now. "I've known him a long time, he won't appreciate it at all."

"But lying is such hard work, I don't want to do it." Naruto moaned at the same time as cramming his hands back into his pockets. "I really think you should come. Bring a friend or whatever, I don't mind. But I'm gonna tell Sasuke."

"Naruto don't-"

"He might get mad at me but he'll be fine by the time you get here tonight." Sakura let out a light snort and shook her head.

"I don't know." She murmured.

"Then it's decided, party starts at ten, don't forget to bring some alcohol!" Naruto threw Sakura a thumbs up as she looked on with a bewildered expression. Unperturbed Naruto put his hands on his hips whilst burying his chin into his jacket. "Now I need to get some of my own alcohol."

"Why? If you're going to tell Sasuke the truth then you don't need to buy anything to cover up why you left."

"Sakura I'm having a party, you can't have too much alcohol." He grinned and gave her a small wave. "See you tonight!"

Xxxxx

Slightly longer chapter than usual, hope you enjoyed!


	6. Chapter 6

Hello! Just a quick warning, this fic is going to have a few pairings that you might not like/agree with going forward. I can promise they aren't ones that I personally ship myself, although I respect all ships, however they are very plot relevant so please do stick with me!

As always I don't own any of the characters, merely this story.

Xxxxx

Naruto walked over the threshold of his apartment and tossed his key onto the table in the hallway, using his foot to push the door shut. He fumbled around with his trainers as he tried to get them off before finally launching them both at the wall with his feet. With a satisfied nod he ambled down the hallway and entered the living room, a plastic bag of clinking bottles in his left hand.

"Sasuk-" He started before stopping once he saw the other. The dark haired man was lying on his side with his back resting against the cushions of the sofa. His face was relaxed and passive with pale lips slightly parted. Naruto stood still for a moment, then pouted and let a dramatic frown spread across his face.

"Bloody bastard, making me stay up all night keeping an eye on him then takes the piss and goes back to sleep. I'm the one who needs a nap-"

"Go take a nap then." Sasuke mumbled unexpectedly as he turned over. Naruto jumped as the other spoke before letting out a deep grunt of frustration.

"Maybe Kiba was right."Naruto grumbled dejectedly to himself as he traipsed across the room to the kitchen entrance. He peered over his shoulder to see the others reaction but unexpectedly got nothing in return. He seethed silently to himself as he brought the bag onto the kitchen table and unpacked the bottles onto the wooden surface. Once done Naruto turned and fiddled with the arrangement in the fridge to make room for the rest of his stock, more than sure his friends would bring plenty more along tonight too.

He placed a couple of bottles lying down on the bottom shelf and turned to grab a few more. How was he going to bring the subject of Sakura up with Sasuke? He'd felt confident when he'd discussed it with her but now it seemed like a lot of hassle. Sasuke was surely going to be a bastard about it, just as she'd insisted.

Naruto turned quickly to grab the remaining bottle, misjudging his aim and knocking the glass beer bottle clean off the table and onto the hard floor. There was a loud exaggerated pop as the glass shattered on the tiles, leaking the contents. Naruto let out an impressive shriek as he bounded out of the way and backed up against the kitchen work surfaces, watching the liquid quickly spread out with a look of childlike disbelief.

"My beer!" He exclaimed incredulously as he crouched down and gaped moronically.

He glanced up as he saw movement at the door, acknowledging Sasuke and gesturing sadly back at the spillage. "My beer Sasuke." Naruto moaned pathetically, pointing at the mess he'd made.

"Truly tragic." Sasuke commented apathetically. "You're not hurt." Sasuke stated bluntly, glancing over Naruto briefly.

"Not physically, but my heart Sasuke, it's _broken._ " His bottom lip protruded as he looked up at Sasuke from his squat on the floor. "Can you fix it?"

"You've got a face only a mother could love." Sasuke stated quickly and with little inflection as he glanced around the kitchen. Naruto gave a playful mock hurt growl before running his hands down his face and pulling fiercely, showing the whites of his eyes as he groaned.

"You're being a bit melodramatic over one beer." The dark haired man stated blandly as his gaze settled back on the other.

"So would you if you were poor like me." Naruto gave a fake sob before he pushed himself upright with a thoughtful pout. "I mean, how do you even clear a mess like this up? Do you paper towel the liquid or do you sweep up the glass first? I don't know." The blond shrugged sadly as he pondered his own quandary, tapping his finger against his chin in thought.

Sasuke glanced at the cupboards and indicated them with a pale finger. "Just sweep up the glass first then soak up the alcohol."

"Sweep up with what, exactly?" Naruto queried.

"Dust pan and brush."

"Sasuke, I'm a man in his early twenties living by himself." Naruto stated matter of factly. Sasuke frowned as he waited for Naruto to elaborate, the blond arching an eyebrow and crossing his arms.

The dark haired man caved. "And?" Naruto swung his arms out in exasperation as his head hung down.

"I don't have a dustpan and brush." He huffed as he turned towards the sink and began balling dishcloths together.

"Right. We're around the same age and I have one." The pale man stated plainly from behind him.

"Why am I not surprised, of course you do." Naruto muttered to himself in a childish voice. Sasuke frowned as Naruto turned around and gestured towards him with his bundle of dishcloths. "And no, I don't want you to go and get it for me."

"Trust me, I wasn't going to bother." Sasuke said petulantly as he seated himself at Naruto's table and crossed his arms. "You've obviously got this under control."

"Damn straight." Naruto exclaimed cheerfully as he bent down to sweep everything into a pile with the damp cloths. Sasuke watched with an expression of boredom as Naruto wiped everything into a haphazard pile ready to be transferred into the bin.

Naruto glanced up at the other and found dark eyes intent on his. "Can I help you?" The blond asked as he sat back on his haunches with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm supervising." Sasuke explained bluntly as he indicated the pile with a jerk of his head.

Naruto frowned. "Supervise this." He declared as he flipped Sasuke his middle finger, his eyebrows drawn down.

Sasuke felt his shoulders move and realised a moment later that he was laughing. Naruto raised his eyebrows in shock and then grinned himself.

"Wow, so you _do_ know how to laugh." Naruto commented as he finished what he was doing, the grin cemented on his tanned face. As he got up and wandered across the kitchen to grab the bin Sasuke felt himself become unnaturally still, his folded arms becoming rigid and tight across the front of his chest as he schooled his face into a blank canvas. All traces of his laughter vanished.

"Don't stop on my account." Naruto offered as he dragged the bin close to the pile of damp glass, glancing at the stoic man.

"Hn." Sasuke answered, watching Naruto with a guarded expression. "Be careful or you'll cut yourself." He commented flippantly but with an air of superiority as Naruto stuck his tongue out and used a cloth to pick up the pieces. He examined the bottle neck and held it up to look through as he spoke to Sasuke.

"You sound like a poorly written television show, you know where the woman's with the guy they like and they drop something and lean down to pick it up and end up cutting themselves. And then the guys like 'don't be so reckless' but it's a big romantic moment." Naruto shook his hand and waved the piece of glass around before he slam dunked it into the bin. "Then he helps her with a plaster or whatever." He concluded as he placed the last of the smaller bits on top of the rather full bin.

"You should try reading a book instead." Sasuke proposed as Naruto stood up. The blond snorted in answer and carried on with the task at hand. "Aren't you going to wrap the glass in newspaper?" Sasuke questioned as Naruto began to pull the overstuffed black bag out of the plastic bin.

"Erm, should I?"

"It'll stop the glass splitting the bag and coming out."

"Why didn't you mention that before? I'm not digging it all out now." Naruto said with an impatient huff as he tugged the straining bag free of it's confinement, a look of exertion on his face as he grit his teeth. "A little help maybe?" Naruto coerced through his clenched teeth. Sasuke moved minutely, then changed his mind and rested back with a shake of his head. As the bag slid free Naruto dumped it on the floor and glared at the pale man at his table.

"I'm really starting to take Kiba's side, you're an immense prick." Sasuke shrugged unperturbed as Naruto shook his head.

"You can kick me out at any time, I'll just send you the invoice for the door." Sasuke offered helpfully, causing Naruto to groan and shake his head.

"Whatever, just shut up for a minute, you're pissing me off." Naruto growled petulantly as he folded the corners of the plastic bin bag and pressed down to compress the contents.

"Ahh shit!" Naruto exhaled sharply through his teeth and stood up grasping his hand, pressing down as he brought it close to his face.

"What." Sasuke asked quickly as he leant forward in his chair.

"No ah, I actually did cut myself. Would you believe it?" Naruto laughed slightly as he pressed down on the wound and looked at Sasuke sheepishly.

"Idiot." Sasuke muttered as he beckoned Naruto towards him. "Sit." He ordered as he pointed to the chair opposite him. Naruto sat down and proffered his hand with a wince.

"Must have jinxed myself." He muttered as Sasuke examined it, wanting to fill the silence. He was light with his fingers, but deft, practised.

"It's not deep, just run it under the tap and clean it with a clean cloth. And try not to be such a moron next time." Sasuke concluded as he pushed Naruto's hand back towards him and drew his own hands back into the safety of his lap.

Naruto eyed the dark haired man for a moment before lurching forward and shoving his hand into Sasuke's face. "Kiss it better Sasuke." He demanded with no humour in his tone.

"No. Do you want an infection?." Sasuke asked him curtly as he leant away with a look of displeasure. "You could put some of that antiseptic cream I bought you on it once you've cleaned it, though." Naruto snorted and pushed himself up and away from the table, manoeuvring himself over to the sink and turning on the tap.

"Your bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired." Naruto said with a glance over his shoulder.

"What's it to you." Sasuke muttered with a glare.

"Nothing, I'm just saying your manner isn't that great." The blond held his hand under the spray and dabbed at it with his fingers. "Your... bedside one." Naruto clarified as he heard a snort from the man behind him.

"You're not subtle at all." Naruto shut the tap off and grabbed for some kitchen roll before narrowing his eyes at the man sitting at his table.

"I wasn't trying to be subtle...!" Naruto almost shouted as a hue of pink graced his tanned cheeks.

"Then just ask whatever question you're currently dancing around. It's obvious Karin or Sakura opened their big mouths." Naruto bristled on behalf of the girls, but reminded himself to be calm. He still needed to give Sasuke the news about Sakura.

"Will you stop? They're meant to be your friends, stop talking shit about them." Naruto chastised as he put pressure on the shallow wound and leant casually against the work top. His eyes were serious. Once again Sasuke noted that the look didn't suit the other.

The dark haired man felt the familiar swirl of anger start in his stomach and he opened his mouth to retaliate as he had numerous times previously, only to stop as he met Naruto's determined gaze.

Sasuke held it for a moment, contemplated what to do, then let out a diffusing sigh.

"Just ask." He bit out gruffly, already regretting his out of character decision.

Naruto let out an open mouthed groan of frustration at Sasuke's attitude before summoning his best glare. Admittedly he wasn't as practiced as the other appeared to be, but he was definitely learning.

"I know you were in med school." Naruto offered, testing the waters. Sasuke merely raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow, as if taunting him into continuing. Naruto felt his hackles raise. "Why didn't you finish?"

"Irrelevant." Sasuke stated flippantly. "Next question."

Naruto snapped his mouth shut and clenched his teeth tight together. With ill suppressed agitation Naruto tried again.

"Are you going to go back?"

"None of your concern." The dark haired man declared unhelpfully. He lifted his eyes quickly as Naruto surged forward and shoved himself into the opposite chair and brought his uninjured hand down harshly onto the surface.

"This is bollocks! What the hell kind of answers are these?"

"I didn't say I was going to answer your question, I just told you to voice them." The pale man sat rigidly, stubbornly, in his chair, as still as the blond was animated.

"Then what's the point! Do you even know how a conversation works?"

"Obviously." Sasuke asserted as irritation wormed it's way back into his tone.

"Do you even enjoy medicine? That's a pretty simple one, you've got to give me that at least." Naruto, exasperated at the other, slumped backwards in his chair.

"I don't have to give you anything." Sasuke's enunciation was resolute but even as he allowed his gaze to bore into pale blue eyes. Naruto chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment whilst holding the pale man's interest.

"I'd say you did enjoy it." The blond decided as he brought his hand forward and showed the dark haired man the puckered wound. Sasuke's eyes involuntarily glanced down to study it, quickly calculating. "See?" At Naruto's words Sasuke dark eyes were drawn to baby blue again. "You can't help yourself."

Sasuke parted his lips slightly before pressing them together. With a sigh he looked away and glanced at the floor.

"I enjoyed it." He clarified quietly. Sasuke didn't have to look up to know Naruto had started smiling, he could _feel_ the happiness radiating off him like some sort of emotional sun.

"Past tense? You don't any more?" Naruto asked as his intrigue got the better of him.

"I do." Was the unusually sombre response.

"Are you going to go back?"

Sasuke brought a hand up to his forehead, moving some of his hair our of the way in the process. He closed his eyes and rubbed the tense skin in an effort to alleviate his souring mood.

"No, I'm not." He clarified without opening his eyes.

"Why?" Naruto demanded instantly.

"Because I just can't." Sasuke asserted as his hand came down quickly into his lap and his eyes glared intensely at the tanned man opposite him. He was done with being candid. "Sometimes things happen that force you to make certain decisions. I can't go back."

Naruto mused to himself, his mouth pulled to the side as he considered what Sasuke had said.

"Sounds like excuses to me. You can do what ever you want."

With a cold humourless chuckle Sasuke shook his head. "You would say something like that, you're ridiculously naïve, it's almost painful."

"You think my life's been sunshine and roses?" The blond questioned. Sasuke lifted his shoulders once and let them drop without altering his gaze. Naruto watched with interest as the seconds ticked by. It was fascinating to see Sasuke patch up the hole he'd just punched through his own facade. Brick by metaphorical brick Naruto watched Sasuke distance himself again, something akin to regret bleeding into his dark eyes.

"I don't give a shit about your life." Sasuke spat dangerously as he pointed at the table. "This, here? I don't know what you're trying to prove, or to who for that matter, but you're wasting your fucking breath. Sometimes people don't want to be saved. I'm not here to listen to your self fulfilling attempts to learn about me and save me, I'm here because my fucking apartment is open real estate right now because of you. So either kick me the fuck out or just fucking shut up." He growled menacingly. Naruto sat motionless for a short moment before grinning and leaning forward.

"I'm not going to kick you out so you might as well relax." Naruto announced casually. "You're my friend, I'm helping you out until your doors fixed."

"We're not friends, you don't even know me."

"I'm getting to know you. I know you're a bastard already." Sasuke let out a snort and Naruto grinned at him, earning himself an uneasy grimace from the dark haired man. "Besides, I don't have to know everything about you to be your friend."

"Could have fooled me." The dark haired man voiced in disbelief. "You can't seem to stop asking questions."

"Well you know this time you did _actually_ give me permission so you can't really blame me." Naruto sniffed and glanced to the side, not meeting the others gaze.

"On the subject of friends..." He trailed off sheepishly as the heat of Sasuke's glare burned a hole in the side of his face. "I er, invited Sakura to come to the party tonight."

"What." Sasuke bit out, surprise permeating the word.

"Yeah. She's coming tonight. We've been messaging, she's been worried about you."

"Why."

"I don't know why, maybe because you're awful at reassuring her?"

"No, not why has she been messaging you. Why is she coming tonight, you moron."

"Actually, about that, I have another confession." Naruto winced as he dared a glance at the other and saw the intense scowl aimed in his direction. "She was downstairs earlier."

Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes and clenched his fists instead. That certainly explained Naruto's weird behaviour, and why he hadn't wanted Sasuke to go with him to the shops. "So the pair of you have been conspiring together behind my back, like a couple of old women."

"You know, maybe for one second you should consider that we've just been concerned about you. How about that, huh?" Naruto asked sarcastically as he nodded his head comically. "I don't know what kinda spat you had with Sakura but she was too worried about pissing you off more to even text you herself. Don't you think that's awful? That's all on you." Naruto jabbed a finger at Sasuke as he spoke. "You should stop seeing everyone as your enemy or you're going to end up alone." Sasuke sat motionless as Naruto spoke, his dark eyes boring into the wooden table.

Naruto shook his head in disbelief as a disappointed smile crept over his features. "I felt really bad, about not telling you and just going to meet Sakura. But now? I don't feel bad at all." He lifted his head, blond locks unruly as he dragged his uninjured hand through them. "I take it back, you're not going to end up alone."

Sasuke lifted his head at that, confusion warring with the annoyance etched on his face. "And why's that? You seemed so adamant just a moment ago."

"Because I'm not going anywhere, even if it kills me." Naruto offered flatly. Sasuke couldn't help himself as a sadistic snort made itself known.

"Are you serious? Are you that much of a moron? This is real life!" Sasuke flung his arms wide and tried to stop himself from laughing incredulously. "What, you want to rescue me? From myself? Would that make you feel good? Grow up. Everything everyone ever does is somehow for their own interests. Once you realise that you're not going to get anything out of this you'll leave too, so just do us both a favour and drop it."

Naruto contemplated Sasuke's words for a moment, his mouth moving side to side as he mulled it over.

"Why are you so angry all the time?" Naruto asked as he watched Sasuke seethe. "You've not been able to have one meaningful conversation with me without blowing up."

"I don't know you."

"Even if you _did_ know me I don't think it would make a difference." Naruto asserted. "Maybe I'm wrong. You talk to Sakura?" He wasn't sure why he asked, he already knew the answer. Regardless, Sasuke's brooding silence said it all.

Xxxxx

Sasuke stood in the kitchen with a glass of water clutched in his hand, his gaze riveted on the city scene outside the window. He could hear voices and giggling in the front room from the few friends of Naruto's who had already arrived, music a pulsing background lull.

He'd let Naruto introduce them when they'd first arrived but his tolerance had very quickly disappeared resulting in his quick retreat to the kitchen.

Sasuke listened as the front door was flung open yet again and more voices floated merrily throughout the small apartment, filling up the space. Naruto was exceptionally cheerful in his greetings, as if each person brought a whole new level of excitement to the blond. Sasuke scowled openly, his back to the entrance of the kitchen as he tipped the contents of his glass down the plug hole of the sink.

"Oh, hey." Sasuke turned his head slightly to see who had entered the kitchen. The pony-tailed brunet lifted his empty beer bottle in salute before placing it down on the table to join the other empties. Sasuke remained quiet but inclined his head slightly as the man approached the fridge.

"Want one?" Sasuke turned as he shook his head before noting the brunette's head was buried inside the fridge.

"No, thanks." The pale man voiced as the other man reappeared with a beer bottle in each hand. He used his elbow and nudged the door closed. Shikamaru nodded as he glanced around the kitchen.

"Know where the bottle opener is?" He ventured after his lazy glance failed to yield any results. Sasuke indicated the dining table and Shikamaru muttered his thanks as he noticed it behind a couple of empties.

"You're Sasuke, right?" The brunet ventured. Sasuke affirmed as he leant against the counter.

"I've not seen you before." Shikamaru said as he popped the top off one of the bottles.

Internally Sasuke groaned at the strained small talk. Surely it was obvious that he'd left all the activity in the front room intentionally.

"I live across the hall." The dark haired man stated blandly as he considered excusing himself to use the toilet.

"So you're a recent edition." Shikamaru said as he took a gulp of his beer.

"I'm not really a friend." Sasuke asserted as the meaning behind the brunets words sunk in. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and Sasuke waved his hand to dismiss the look of confusion on the others face. "It's just a matter of circumstance." Sasuke offered cryptically.

"Whatever." Shikamaru said with a lazy shrug of his shoulders. "Naruto makes everyone his friend, eventually." Sasuke couldn't help the snort of derision that shifted his torso.

"Sure."

"What are you two whispering about, huh?" A tall sandy blonde woman stood in the entrance to the kitchen with a hand on her hip.

"Just making conversation. This is Naruto's neighbour." Shikamaru said as he motioned towards Sasuke with his beer bottle. The woman nodded, uninterested, before allowing her gaze to settle back on Shikamaru.

"You go to Australia to get me that beer?" She queried sarcastically as Shikamaru let out a long suffering sigh and popped the top off the second bottle he'd gotten from the fridge. He held it out and she accepted it without thanks, taking a long gulp. "You two coming? Naruto's cracking out the hard stuff, we're setting up ring of fire." She said as she turned and left the two of them. She didn't wait to see if they'd follow.

Shikamaru muttered his annoyance then casually strode out of the kitchen and rejoined the foray of noise and laughter in the lounge. Sasuke ventured forward and stopped as he got a good view of everyone. Shikamaru has seated himself next to the woman, Temari, her hand coming down to rest casually on his thigh as they spoke within the group. Sasuke noted Kiba sitting on the floor with his back to the kitchen as his hands gesticulated widely to express his point, his voice loud and brash.

Amongst them Naruto sat closest to the lounge exit, ready to propel himself through it should anyone knock on his front door. Sasuke watched, unknowingly fascinated as everyone intermittently vied for Naruto's attention.

He didn't like it.

The blond's attention was divided, and none of it was directed at him. Angry or not.

Sasuke felt a shiver of unease settle in his stomach, but he wasn't ready to acknowledge it as guilt.

He'd been ungrateful to the blond, but he reasoned that there were worse things. Even now his mind refused to accept any type of responsibility, any show of remorse. He hadn't asked Naruto to get involved with him, had in fact expressed his utter displeasure in Naruto offering any type of assistance.

And yet Sasuke had kept making his presence known, slowly cementing himself into the blond's head, his actions not matching his words. Good people can't help but empathise with others and Naruto had more trouble with that than most.

Sasuke was apt to exploit such a generous trait.

Naruto laughed at something Kiba said as he set up an empty pint glass around the ring of cards he'd just arranged on his coffee table.

Sasuke crossed his arms as he warred with himself.

Naruto really did look better with a smile on his face and Sasuke wondered if maybe he should do the blond a favour for the evening and at least join everyone in the front room, even if he didn't actually talk to anyone. Maybe that way Naruto would stop finding excuses to check on Sasuke in the kitchen, and Sasuke could pretend that not saying sorry was just fine.

Having made his decision the pale man pushed himself off the fridge and walked the short distance into the lounge only to stop abruptly at the entrance.

"Naruto! I found a couple of friends on your doorstep!" Lee announced excitedly as Naruto's head whipped around and he stumbled upright quickly to hand out more exuberant greetings. As the blond brought his head up his grin took on a questioning quality.

"Hi Naruto, it's been a while, how're you?" The long haired brunet asked casually as he shrugged himself out of his coat.

"Neji? Holy shit, that must mean-" Naruto leant to the side to peer around the new addition to the party. Sasuke heard a faint feminine murmur trickle in from the hallway before Naruto extended his arms passed Neji and pulled the woman into him.

"Oh my God, guys, get a room!"

"Neji, dude, so good to see you man, want a drink?" Kiba offered as he slung an arm around Neji's shoulders and led him towards the kitchen, temporarily blocking Sasuke's view.

"There's not many people here." Neji noted astutely as they passed Sasuke.

"Come on dude, it's still early!" The short haired brunet intoned loudly.

Sasuke stood motionless as he watched the new scene before him. Naruto finally managed to separate his lips from the pale girl's own long enough to grin down at her, her cheeks now a blooming red as they received a couple of encouraging whistles. She was slim, pretty in her knee length skirt and boots, dark hair cascading elegantly down her back as she hooked a small hand onto Naruto's t-shirt. Naruto grinned with a hint of embarrassment as he slid an arm around her shoulder and turned to face his group of clucking friends, before gently ushering the girl over to an unoccupied space on the sofa. They spoke for a brief moment, Naruto asking her what she wanted to drink.

Sasuke gripped the kitchen door frame with unrelenting force, his teeth clenched together in an effort to stay grounded.

"Sasuke? You okay?" Naruto asked as he approached the kitchen, mild concern entering his voice.

"That's the girl, from the picture." Sasuke stated unnecessarily, his voice calm, not revealing his inner turmoil.

Naruto laughed lightly and brought and a hand up to scratch the back of his head.

"Yeah, Hinata," Naruto supplied helpfully as he turned to follow Sasuke's riveted gaze. A few of the girls were huddled around the shy woman, swapping gossip.

Sasuke watched as Naruto's mouth started to move again, almost as if in slow motion. The dark haired man already knew what was coming, didn't understand why he was reacting so negatively to the idea of it. But he felt himself still in anticipation anyway, felt his eyes slip shut in exasperation at the situation he found himself in.

"She's my girlfriend."

Sasuke heard the sound of shattering glass and absently wondered if this is what it felt like to be undone.

Xxxxx

Please please please stick with me, this is all plot relevant I promise. TT 3TT Any comments are greatly received!


	7. Chapter 7

More plot build up this chapter, the juicy parts are coming.

I don't own the characters.

Xxxxx

Naruto knelt around the coffee table and relished in the exuberant buzz of chatter around him, the living room fit to bursting with bodies. The television was set on a music channel with various artists vying for the largest vocal range imaginable, but their efforts were wasted on the steadily growing intoxicated crowd.

"Four!" Kiba shouted as he slammed the card down on the table. "All you whores better have a nice mouthful." The brunet wiggled his eyebrows and tipped his own beer bottle at all of the woman taking part in the game.

"The only whore around this table is you." Temari commented nonchalantly as she took a gulp of her own drink.

Kiba acted affronted with a hand on his chest, "I just like to share in all the lovely ladies out there, I'm a connoisseur." Kiba gave a lazily smirk. "But, in an effort to be fair, I'll have a drink too." He said as he took an excessively large gulp, head tipped back.

"Who's flavour of the month, then?" Neji asked as he leant forward onto his knees.

"No lucky girl at the moment, actually." The tattooed man sniffed as his eyes darted around their small congregation.

"Plenty of opportunities around tonight." Naruto snickered as he elbowed his friend in the ribs. Neji raised an eyebrow at the blond and Naruto lifted his palms up sheepishly. "Not for me! Hinata's the only one I need." Naruto flattered unnecessarily as the dark haired girl let out a bubble of innocent laughter and put a hand on Neji's arm to reassure him.

Kiba frowned and brought his bottle down onto the table. "Come on, what is this, next person pick a damn card." He uttered moodily.

Neji leant forward and plucked a card from the circle. "Nine." He stated monotonously as he looked at Naruto for guidance.

"Nine is rhyme, you gotta say a word and we have to say one that rhymes with it." Naruto explained enthusiastically. "Man I can't believe you haven't played this before, I thought you went to uni?"

"Apparently one quite different from yours." Neji said with a sly smile.

"Mine's definitely more fun." Naruto stated proudly.

"Lit." Neji offered the word offhandedly as he leant back into the couch cushions.

Hinata flushed as she gazed into her drink, realising it was her turn. "Pit." She offered, turning to face Ten-Ten next to her.

"Kit!" Ten-Ten breathed enthusiastically before taking a gulp of her drink.

"You're only supposed to drink if you lose...?" Temari offered unhelpfully with a mocking arched eyebrow. Ten-Ten pouted and lifted her nose.

"This is a game to get drunk, don't tell me I can't drink when I fancy it."

"Come on come on, next!" Naruto encouraged as he came up on his knees, ever impatient for his turn. "Let her drink, Lee go!"

"Naruto! I'll do my best!" The exuberantly attired man exclaimed.

"Do it quickly then, Lee." Ten-Ten muttered exasperated.

"Spit!" He shouted.

"God, you're this excited and you're not even drinking." The brunette shook her head and rested her forehead against her palm.

"If you want me to I can get one!" Lee offered as he placed his orange juice on the glass table.

"Please don't." She uttered in horror, eyes wide, as she had another sly sip of her mixer.

Laughter bubbled around the group as Lee looked on perplexed.

"Am I really that bad?" Lee asked incredulously.

"You're the _worst_." Ten-Ten shuddered.

"Ha! Lee's the _best_! He single handedly ate fifteen McDonald's double cheese burgers once, it was amazing." Naruto reminisced his admiration.

Ten-Ten snorted and hiccuped, then laughed darkly to herself. "That's... actually pretty impressive." She murmured dejectedly.

"ANYWAY. Shikamaru, your turn." Kiba motioned the other to take his turn. "I'm getting dry over here." He added moodily.

"Yeah yeah. Mitt."

Temari pursed her lips in thought.

"Gotta think quick or you'll lose!" Naruto sung irritatingly.

"Shut it, Uzumaki." She burned.

Kiba started to count her down and Naruto excitedly joined in as the buzz of alcohol wormed it's way through his system. "Hit." Temari stated quickly in an effort to not lose the round.

"Damn it, I don't even have one, ermmm." The tipsy blond crossed his arms and tilted his head in thought. His eyes squinted in concentration as he tried to come up with something.

"Time's running out, Uzumaki." Temari said with a competitive grin.

Naruto planted his hands dramatically onto the coffee table, shaking the drinks on it. "I'm not gonna lose." He declared drastically. After a lot of dramatic head scratching and lip pursing Naruto brought his arms down heavy onto the table. "Shit! I can't think of one!" Shikamaru let out a laugh and leant forward, his legs splayed.

"Come on Naruto, I'm sure you can think of something." He said helpfully as mirth floated through his voice. Temari smirked next to him and shook her head as the rest of the group suppressed their laughter.

"Honestly! I can think of anything! It's the pressure." Naruto said morosely whilst tapping his hands on the table.

"I think you just want to lose so you can have more of your drink." Kiba said conspiratorially as he cut a joking eye at Naruto.

The blond arched an eyebrow and downed a few swallows of his beer in rebellion. "I'm not waiting for permission to drink, I just don't want to _lose._ " Kiba barked out a laugh, muttering something about Naruto already being a loser.

"Fucking hell, someone tell the poor guy." Temari added in amusement.

Naruto perked up as he realised Temari was referring to him. "Tell me what?"

"By rule standards you would have lost about, oh, five minutes ago. But in case you didn't realise, 'shit' rhymes, you dumbass." She looked on with folded arms as her words sunk in. Naruto's face stretched into a grin as he scratched the back of his head and laughed loudly.

"Please tell me it's just the alcohol that made you not realise." Neji asked, confounded. Naruto attempted to shake his head through his laughter.

"Oh my God, I need help." Naruto wheezed out as he held his stomach.

"Knock it off, it wasn't that funny." Kiba affirmed as he shoved the blond who tumbled sideways in his tipsy state, eliciting a jolt of laughter from the brunet. Naruto caught himself on his arm and gave a mock angry look before shoving Kiba back. Naruto picked up the dirty pint in the centre and went to dip his fingers in to flick at Kiba.

"Ew, no one's going to want to drink that if it's had your fingers in it!" Ten-Ten jumped in quickly as she attempted to snatch it out of the blond's grasp.

Naruto quickly moved it out of her reach but retracted his opposite hand from the rim with a frown on his face.

"It's the _dirty pint_ , no one _wants_ to drink it." Naruto said with pursed lips and narrowed eyes before placing it back within the ring of cards, unspoiled. "Come on Kiba, let's have it then, your word." The blond demanded with a sniff, subdued. Kiba let a shit eating grin spread across his face much to the groups trepidation.

"Clit." Kiba said proudly as he leant forward, his forearm resting cockily on the table. Naruto let out another alcohol sodden burst of laughter as the rest of the group shook their heads in dismay.

"I bet you've been eager to say that this whole time." Neji stated as he sipped his drink.

"Yup." Kiba said proudly. "It's a gem."

"I'm not sure it counts," Shikamaru said evenly. "It's an abbreviation."

"It fucking rhymes, shut your face." Kiba said with a point of his finger at the other brunet, good-naturedly. Temari let a smirk crawl over her face.

"Shika let him have it," She said as she placed a hand on his shoulder, "I mean, it's the closest he's going to get to one tonight." She offered assuredly.

"Haaaaah!" Naruto shrieked hysterically at the statement much to everyone else's amusement. "Kiba are you going to take that?" Nauto thumped Kiba hard on the shoulder as he pivoted on his bum, unable to contain his hilarity as they all remained in various fits of snickering. Kiba flipped them all off.

"Maybe I won't, but one of them might get close to this D!" Kiba chortled as he pointed to his pants, sending some spittle flying forward.

"Maybe if she trips and falls." Ten-Ten added.

Naruto snickered as he stood up. "Be right back, gonna get some more drink. Carry on without me"

"Ah." Hinata lifted her hand to catch his attention. "Should I come with you? I need another drink myself." Kiba turned and waggled his eyebrows up at Naruto earning him a foot to the kneecap.

"Wine? Don't worry, I got it." The blond said with a cheeky wink that had Hinata emitting a sad, pretty smile.

As he immersed himself into the throng Naruto found himself accosted by friends and acquaintances, trying to find out how he was and to thank him for inviting them to his party. He eventually made it to the kitchen entrance, finding it a lot less busy than the living area but still sparsely occupied.

He headed directly for the fridge and pulled it open to retrieve the rosé wine plus a few bottles of beer. He shut the fridge with his elbow and put his haul on the kitchen table as he turned to grab the litre bottle of vodka from the side. His hand encountered nothing but air. The bottle was gone.

With a bewildered expression plastered onto his tipsy face Naruto swivelled around carelessly, his eyes a second behind his body. His gaze landed on a figure standing at the sink.

"Sasuke?" Said Naruto as the dark haired man's head snapped back, his throat working as he swallowed the contents of his glass. As Sasuke brought his empty glass down on the side he turned to regard Naruto, his body revealing the bottle Naruto was looking for.

Naruto's eyes drew wide as he took in the significantly less than full bottle of vodka.

"What the hell are you doing?" Naruto asked in disbelief.

"Having a drink, like everybody else." Sasuke answered candidly with hooded cloudy eyes.

"You're not supposed to be drinking! Did you drink all this yourself?" The blond questioned in disbelief as he grabbed the bottle next to Sasuke, the dark haired man unmoving.

"Yes." Was the arrogant answer as he crossed his arms tightly across his chest.

"Straight?"

"What?" Sasuke reeled slightly from the question as the alcohol clouded his mind in a distracting manner.

"Did you drink it straight? Neat? Undiluted?" Naruto asked frantically as he got close to Sasuke. The dark haired man frowned as he caught the blond's meaning, his lips set in an angry line.

"Stop fucking talking." He said with a harsh tilt of his head and a wave of his hand. "I lied. I just had a couple, some girls drank the rest."

Naruto looked at Sasuke with stubborn azure eyes, dissecting the man before him as precious seconds ticked by. Sasuke held still under the scrutiny. With mistrustful eyes Naruto cradled the bottle. He remembered the conversation he'd had with Sakura earlier.

"I don't believe you."

Sasuke shrugged and made to move passed the blond, however Naruto caught his elbow, stopping him.

"Just don't have any more, okay?" Sasuke felt his eyes narrow. He understood Naruto's concern, but it frustrated him nonetheless. He let himself settle back against the sink. "You're a doctor, give yourself some advice and stick to it." Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes and correct Naruto.

"Your friends must be waiting for you to bring their drinks." Sasuke stated monotonously as Naruto swivelled and remembered his drinks on the table.

"Ah. Yeah. Come and sit with us." Naruto ordered sternly as he caught Sasuke's gaze again. Sasuke let out a snort.

"I'd rather gauge my eyes out with the bottle opener." The pale man obstinately declared as he dismissed Naruto with his gaze. "I'll still be here when you come back in another half an hour." Sasuke assured. Naruto pondered dramatically for a moment before gathering the drinks in his arms and heading for the door.

"Fine, just don't drink any more." Naruto stipulated again when he reached the exit. He watched as Sasuke minutely nodded his head.

He didn't feel that leaving Sasuke was a great idea but what choice did he have?

With a narrowed gaze Sasuke watched Naruto be swallowed by the crowd of the front room. Without a second thought the dark haired man approached the fridge, pulled it open and extracted a bottle of beer.

Xxxxx

"What the- Hinata?" Naruto wondered aloud when he finally made it back to his friends, his arms laden with alcohol. His eyes fell on the inert form of his girlfriend. Her head was lolled to the side and her pale eyes were concealed as she dozed, her cheeks a rosy red. Naruto's gaze fell on the empty dirty pint and the sheepish expressions of his friends. Neji let out an exasperated sigh.

"She drank the dirty pint?" Naruto queried.

"She did." Kiba nodded gravely as he made a grab for one of the new beers as Naruto set them down. "Valiant effort, you would have been proud." He added, amused.

"It was _your_ fault, Kiba." Neji accused with hostile eyes.

"Dude I don't run Ring of Fire, Ring of Fire claims it's own victims." Was Kiba's casual response. "Maybe you should blame Ten-Ten for sharing her rum." He said with an accusing tilt of his head.

"Oi!"

"You all know Hinata can't handle her drink!" Naruto chastised mildly as he looked at the sleeping girl. Kiba stood up and clapped Naruto on the shoulder.

"I'll take her to your room." The brunet declared. Naruto narrowed his eyes and nudged his friend out of the way.

"I'll do it." Naruto asserted.

Kiba lifted his hands in mock defeat and took a deep draw from his beer bottle. "Whatever man."

Naruto approached the pale girl and grasped her wrists, bringing her forward slightly. "Hinata? This isn't a good place for a nap." He sung jokingly as she came forward into his hold.

"Mmm." She muttered with closed eyes but a lazy smile. "Naruto."

"Yeah, it's me." He reassured with a smile of his own as he pulled her gently to her feet, an arm around her waist. "Come on, time for a proper nap." He attempted to lead her out of the room, however her legs were uncoordinated and less than reliable. With only a brief ponder regarding his own tipsy state, Naruto squatted slightly before getting his arm underneath Hinata's knees and lifting, the woman elevated into his tanned arms.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't!" Kiba hollerred obnoxiously.

Naruto snorted and weaved his way through the mesh of people, including the congregation in his hallway. He cock-handedly manhandled the door before finally getting inside, then kicking it shut with his foot. Hinata wound her arms around his shoulders and opened bleary eyes.

"Where's this?" She asked mildly concerned.

"My room, remember? No one will come in here so you can sleep." He told her as he lowered her down onto his messy bed.

"Mmm." When she failed to unravel her arms from his neck Naruto gave her a curious look, resting his palms either side of her waist to support his weight. "I think-. Mm. Why don't you stay?" She asked shyly as she glanced away. Naruto smiled in a dorky manner and kissed her cheek lightly, Hinata biting the corner of her lip as her eyes darted up to meet his.

"I can't stay in here, this is my party. But I'll be back when everyone leaves." He assured her as her arms fell away and he stood up.

"Neji?" She queried, her dark hair a river around her.

"He can have the couch if he wants."

"Mmm, no, he's not drinking." She murmured although Naruto didn't understand the significance. He was pretty sure Neji was consuming alcohol. He shook his head.

"Anyway if you feel better come out. But no one will come in here so stay as long as you like." He reassured as he backed out of the room. He blew her a haphazard kiss that she failed to see as she rolled over, pulling the duvet around her. She heard the latch catch and only then did she allow herself to take in a deep, satisfying lungful of Naruto's scent. It clung to his bedspread pleasingly.

"You should have stayed." She whispered forlornly to herself as tears collected quickly in her milky eyes. As the concoction of booze swirled around her system and muddled her thoughts brilliantly Hinata felt a heat in the pit of her stomach, spreading low and insistent.

She let out an intense and desperate puff of air as she let a pale hand travel below the duvet.

Xxxxx

"Naruto!" The blond registered the call and looked left as he shut his bedroom door behind him. Sakura waved as she walked towards him, carrying a wine bottle in her other hand.

"Hey!" Naruto answered as he met her halfway. "You came!"

"Yeah, I would have been here earlier, but... Well, you know-"

"She wasn't going to come but I persuaded her." A woman with a cascade of pretty blonde haired stated evenly as she peered around her friend. "Lucky you!" She offered with a devilish wink.

"Ino." Sakura chastised, apologising to Naruto with her eyes. Naruto brought his hand up behind his head with a slight blush and a chuckle. "Naruto I hope you don't mind, you said I could bring a friend and well, Ino wanted to come once I told her about it."

"It's fine! I wanted you to, It's actually better! Plus you guys brought drink so that's great."

Ino snaked her arms around Sakura's shoulders and brought the pink haired girl into her chest before thrusting forwards with her hips. "Plus! We've had pre-drinks so we're ready to party~!" She shrieked happily in Sakura's ear, the pink haired girl giggling as her free hand grasped Ino's wrist.

Naruto felt a weight on his shoulder as Kiba appeared next to him.

"I came to find you to make sure you weren't doing indecent things to Hinata." He stated with a cocky drunken smile as he offered Naruto a new bottle. Naruto took it and swallowed a gulp with a frown.

"So much for being my wing man." The blond muttered childishly.

"Naruto, you have a girlfriend? I didn't know." Sakura declared as Ino peered round her with curious eyes, before pouting.

"Ah boo," Ino looked at Naruto intensely. "I thought you could save her from Sasuke." She declared in a sulk before sighing gravely and unravelling herself from her friend.

"Ino!" Sakura intoned loudly, cutting her eye fiercely at her friend. Ino waved her off, uncaring.

"Well well, who's this beautiful lady?" Kiba arched an eyebrow as his gaze fell on the tall blonde. He caught Ino's eyes as he placed a hand on the wall to support his weight, his movements exaggerated by the alcohol. Ino looked down her nose at him.

"What's it to you?" She asked boldly with a flick of her hair.

"Nothing, I just hate to see a pretty girl without a drink." Kiba flirted boldly.

Ino grimaced slightly. "Hmm, bit creepy but whatever. Come on, I'll let you get me a one." She said as she stalked forward and grabbed Kiba's arm, pulling him towards the front room. Sakura and Naruto watched as Kiba was led off, the brunet pointing distractedly at his crotch and mouthing 'the D!' at them.

"She'll be fine, I think." Naruto said as he turned his attention back to Sakura.

"It's not Ino I'm worried about." The pink haired girl answered snidely as she watched them disappear. Naruto snickered.

"Want me to get you a glass?" He asked as he gestured to her bottle. She shrugged.

"Nah, I'm in a drink-it-out-of-the-bottle kind of mood, you know?" Naruto nodded knowingly, a grin on his face as he chuckled.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Sakura asked as she unscrewed her bottle of wine. She tried not to seem too interested, but Naruto remained oblivious anyway.

"Screw top, classy." Naruto said with a cheeky grin. Sakura snorted out a laugh whilst her lips wrapped around the rim of the bottle. "Hinata's just asleep at the moment." Sakura took a gulp, then brought the bottle down.

"Asleep?!" Sakura smacked her glossed lips together as she met his eyes. "At a party?" She asked doubtfully, passing tipsy judgement.

"She's a lightweight. Drank a dirty pint." Naruto said gravely.

"Ohh, Ring of Fire? Classic." Sakura offered with a giggle.

They both took another mouthful of their respective drinks before Sakura pursed her lips and glanced up at Naruto, wanting to broach the subject of a certain dark haired man.

"So... Is Sasuke here?" She asked coyly.

"Uh huh." The blond answered in the positive. "Stupid bastard's had a drink as well, after everything that's happened." Naruto said with a shake of his head. Sakura let out a small gasp.

"He shouldn't be drinking Naruto." She scolded sternly, like it was Naruto's fault. Her eyebrows drew together and her grip tightened around the neck of her wine bottle.

" _I_ know that! Heck even _he_ knows that! I don't know why he decided to have one, maybe he felt left out." Naruto offered.

"No, Sasuke doesn't give a crap about stuff like that. He must have a reason." Sakura muttered to herself.

"Well whatever the reason he promised not to have any more." The blond reassured the girl next to him. She snorted and shook her head. Naruto watched, mesmerised, as her pink hair moved gently around her face. She wore a fitted skirt and top with her jacket still on over it all, her tight clad feet concealed with a pretty pair of ankle boots.

Naruto watched as her pink lipstick'd mouth moved around her words, punctuating each syllable as he swallowed, distracted.

"Naruto!" She thumped him lightly on the arm, bringing him back to the noise and space around him. He blinked and rubbed his arm, abashed as he snickered, embarrassed.

"What did you say?" He asked, ducking out of the way when she brought her hand up again. She stopped and laughed lightly.

"Sorry, I won't hit you again." She assured. Then she pursed her mouth invitingly. "Well, probably not anyway." She giggled and took another sip of her drink. "Anyway! God, stop distracting me."

"What? I'm not doing anything." Naruto offered innocently.

"What I was saying before you decided to start daydreaming, is that there is no way that Sasuke has stopped drinking."

"Huh?" Naruto asked dubiously.

"He just told you that so you'd leave him alone." She clarified. "Where is he?"

"Err, kitchen." Naruto pointed behind him with his thumb. Sakura's eyes grew wide.

"Isn't that where Ino and that guy went?" She asked with immediate worry in her green eyes. Naruto nodded.

"So?"

"Shit, come on, quickly." She said hurriedly as she moved passed Naruto and into the fray of bodies. She navigated herself expertly through the drunken gyrating mass in the front room, the blond close behind her, before finally stumbling through the kitchen entrance way. Naruto bumped into her in his haste, Sakura giving him a less than impressed look over her shoulder.

"-And all she does is worry about you and you're just like this HUGE jerk off who plays with her feelings, do you have any idea-"

"Ino!" Sakura called loudly, her blonde friend stopping mid-sentence and twisting round precariously on her heels. Ino huffed petulantly when she caught Sakura's eyes. She rested her weight on one leg as she took a sip of her wine and pouted obnoxiously, like a school kid who'd just been caught playing hooky. Sakura placed her wine bottle on the crowded table of empties, her eyes stuck on her friend.

Sasuke stood uncaring in the same spot Naruto had left him in a little while ago. His eyes were hooded and glassy from the alcohol and his stance was relaxed and aloof. When Naruto's gaze fell on the bottle in Sasuke's hand Sasuke lifted it and tipped it at the blond before knocking back what remained in it. Naruto felt his jaw drop as Kiba planted a hand on his shoulder.

"I could get to like this girl, she drinks like a fish, has a mouth worse than mine AND she hates this guy." The brunet said as they watched Ino get chastised by Sakura.

"You said you weren't going to do this tonight." The pink haired girl said sternly to her drunk friend.

"Yeah well I'm just sick of him, I couldn't help myself when I saw him in here. You know Sakura if he wasn't good looking he'd have literally nothing going for him-."

"That's _enough_ , Ino." Sakura declared. She left no room for argument. Ino lifted her chin and crossed her arms, mulling over her options before finally sighing and shrugging indifferently.

"He's your problem I guess. But don't worry, I'll be there to pick up the pieces when he shatters you apart _again_." The blonde affirmed harshly as she jabbed a manicured finger in Sasuke's direction. With a flip of her hair she stalked towards the kitchen exit, motioning for Kiba to follow who obliged more than willingly.

"Sasuke, why are you drinking?" Sakura's voice was strained with worry as she spoke, all of her attention now on him.

"You said that you wouldn't!" Naruto snapped as he came out of his reverie. He scrambled forward quickly and snatched the empty bottle from Sasuke's hand, then brought it harshly down onto the kitchen table.

"I lied." Sasuke said evenly.

"But _why_?" Naruto asked, his words shrouded in confusion, his eyebrows creased in the middle.

"Because I wanted a drink but if I'd told you that you wouldn't have left me alone." Sasuke said coldly.

"We're worried about you, you bastard." Naruto spoke dangerously low as his hands clenched. Sakura stood delicately with her hands grasped close to her chest, assessing the situation with deep concern.

Sasuke calculated quickly.

"You shouldn't have brought Ino here." He said heartlessly to Sakura, who flinched like she'd been slapped.

"Oi! Sakura needed support because of you!" Naruto raised his voice as he stared with wild blue eyes at the dark haired man.

"You knew she'd cause trouble." Sasuke insisted as he looked down at the woman before him and ignored Naruto. Sakura glanced off to the side and avoided his gaze, a pink tinge to her cheeks.

"Sasuke!" The blond shouted, drawing the interest of everyone else in the room. Sakura grabbed his arm and turned to face the other occupants of the room. She stuck her tongue out and waved them off, mouthing that everything was fine. They looked on dubiously, feigning indifference but still listening with one ear open.

"Naruto, people are looking." Sakura whispered by his side. "Calm down."

Sasuke stared at the hand the pink haired girl has wrapped around Naruto's upper arm. Her nails were dainty and pink, her hands small.

Sasuke felt his own curl into large fists, far bigger than hers could ever make. It made him angry. Naruto directed his attention down to her and she looked up with wide emerald eyes, attempting to diffuse his fiery temper.

Sasuke had seen just about enough.

"Don't you have a girlfriend to attend to?" He sneered questioningly at the blond, steering the conversation.

"Hinata's sleeping." Naruto snapped back, hostile. Sakura caught his meaning and quickly unhooked herself from Naruto's side, unaware that she'd gotten the wrong end of the stick.

Sasuke mused for a moment before sighing, suddenly bored of the conflict. "I won't drink any more. Surely that should placate you both." He offered casually as if it were nothing. He wanted nothing more than to be left to his own devices, he was sick of talking. Sakura nodded quickly as relief flooded her face, completely forgetting the conversation she had had with Naruto earlier on.

"You said that before. I can't believe you." Naruto said uncertainly. "And more importantly I think you should apologise to Sakura, she can bring whoever the fuck she wants to thi-."

"Naruto calm down, it's all fine, I probably should have thought about it a little more, Sasuke and Ino haven't gotten along for a long time and-."

"But Sakur-"

"I said it's fine, Naruto! Jeez, you don't give up do you?" She said with an uneasy laugh. "Everything's fine, let's just hang out and relax, okay?" Naruto caught the strain in her eyes as she backed off and leant against the counter, putting equal distance between them all. Naruto huffed, trying to calm his temper as Sakura tried to normalise the conversation.

Naruto caught the look of malcontent on the pale man's face and it made him falter for a moment. For a split second it had looked like Sasuke was in pain, like everything was a struggle.

Sasuke hadn't made it a secret that he didn't want to come to the party. Naruto has insisted and Sasuke had been left in a position that allowed him no choice anyway. Perhaps drinking and arguing was Sasuke's way of coping with a situation he felt awkward in.

Naruto felt his shoulders relax as guilt and sadness once again tore through his anger.

"Sasuke." The blond called. Dark eyes moved from Sakura to stare intensely into deep blue, his stilted one-side discussion with the pink haired woman temporarily halted. "If you want to you can sit in my room. Hinata's in there so you'll have to be quiet but no one else will go in there." He suggested. Sakura glanced between them before letting out an awkward giggle.

"Sasuke won't want to sit in there by himself." She said jokingly.

"Maybe not right now, but if you want to just chill by yourself you can go in there, is all I'm saying." Naruto reiterated with a shrug as he looked away, bringing his forgotten beer bottle to his lips. Naruto watched Sakura's lips move as she spoke to him but it felt like the world was suddenly on mute as he caught something out of the corner of his eye.

Sasuke smiling at him.

Xxxxx

Please do let me know what you think, I love any feedback, it's really helpful. As always I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

I'm so sorry if anyone has been waiting patiently for this chapter! I really hope you enjoy it.

Thank you for the lovely reviews, I can't tell you how precious they are.

As always I don't own Naruto.

Xxxxx

Naruto watched the strained conversation between Sasuke and Sakura gradually unravel, the pink haired woman finding it harder and harder to sustain a topic.

Eventually, she closed her eyes in humiliated defeat.

As her head hung low and her gaze was finally averted from his, Sasuke brought his eyes away from the spot he'd been focused on just above her head. Naruto momentarily wondered if it was easier for Sasuke to look there than watch as her face gradually lost hope. Did it affect him at all?

The blond started as onyx eyes unexpectedly landed on his, catching him looking. He bristled briefly at the drunken, seemingly uncaring stare, before once again noticing something desperate swimming just below the surface.

Naruto parted his mouth to speak-

"Well." Sakura announced despairingly as she brought her palms down onto her thighs quickly, causing Naruto to snap his mouth shut. "I'm going to the ladies. So just..." She glanced up at the two men as the brooding silence between them stretched on. She drew in a breath. "Just please wait here, for me."

Sasuke gave a small nod without looking at her. Sakura took that as all the confirmation she needed. Without waiting for Naruto to respond she swiped her wine from the kitchen table and left the room with a tight grasp around the neck of the bottle.

Naruto tracked her with his eyes as Sasuke watched him.

After a short moment of silence, Naruto spoke.

"You've trapped her." He said, out of the blue. Sasuke raised one eyebrow in question as he folded his arms.

"What?" He asked. The blond bought his eyes back round from the door to meet the others intense stare.

"You have," Naruto said quickly, "you've trapped her. I don't know if you meant to but she's stuck in this... _thing_... with you." Naruto babbled darkly as he waved his beer bottle outwards.

"Do us both a favour and stop talking." Sasuke uttered, not for the first time tonight. His eyes left the blond and drifted forward, unfocused.

"I'm serious Sasuke. She's so caught up in your problems, it's like they're her own."

"I didn't trap her in anything." Sasuke clarified.

"Maybe not on purpose but she's living it with you, somehow." The blond watched as Sasuke sucked in a harsh breath. "But if I can help you then I can help her too." Naruto said, presuming the dark haired man would be happy with his deduction. Unaware to Naruto, Sasuke's eyes sharpened dangerously.

"I see, so that's why you've been so eager to help me." He bit out.

"Huh?" Blue eyes snapped up in confusion.

"To get to Sakura." Sasuke announced, his eyes wide with his epiphany. "You just want to help her. All of this, wanting to help me, it's just a guise to get to _her._ " Sasuke spat as his fists clenched.

"No it isn't." Naruto said with a frown.

"I'm not stupid Naruto."

"Sasuke I'm telling you you're wrong." The blond offered resolutely.

"I'm not stupid."

"I want to help _you_!" Naruto declared desperately as he took in Sasuke's chaotic look.

"You're a liar." Sasuke declared. Naruto watched as the wrong puzzle pieces fell together before Sasuke. "You only started helping me when she became part of the equation."

"That was just a coincidence, if I had known what was going on I would have been there myself, sooner-"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"I _have_ to help you." Naruto implored desperately, coming closer to the closed off man before him. "I just mean that we'd end up freeing Sakura at the same time-."

"God, stop saying her _name_."

Naruto gaped helplessly at the man before him, desperately trying to think of the right thing to say. He spluttered before speaking.

"She's obsessed with you, I promise, she wouldn't look twice at me. Besides I've got Hinata, I'm not trying to steal Sak-." Sasuke brought a hand up quickly to silence the other. He twisted his body round to face Naruto, coming away from the counter, no longer content with standing passively.

"I saw how you looked at Sakura earlier." He approached Naruto slowly, the blond taking a few steps back before glowering in response and holding his stance. He glanced round at the other occupants of the kitchen. Luckily for him the alcoholic buzz in the apartment had made everyone decidedly uninterested in anything that wasn't related to their own private conversations.

"I was worried about her, that was all." Naruto affirmed.

"That wasn't only worry, you care about her."

"How can I not care about someone who's suffering? Are you crazy?" The blond laughed incredulously. "She's a nice girl but she's breaking! Because of you! If you got your shit together she'd be better and If you hadn't have said what you said she'd have had no reason to be upset in the first place!"

"Oh, so this is all my fault, is it?"

"Well actually yeah! She's directly affected by your moods and you've been in a shit one this whole evening. I get it, you don't want to be here, you don't need my help, blah blah blah." Naruto moved his free hand in a poor imitation of a mouth as he took a gulp of his drink from his other hand.

"It wasn't just that and you know it. You couldn't help yourself."

"How can you say that?" Naruto asked coldly. "I've got Hinata, you saw how I was with her." Sasuke stopped advancing, stood still. The blond watched as a complicated play of emotions swept haphazardly across Sasuke's face. Naruto felt confusion in his own.

"I'm...I'm sorry, if you thought that way." Naruto continued, subdued. "I'm not interested in Sakura, not like that. She's really pretty, don't get me wrong but she's yours-." Naruto watched as Sasuke shook his head in what Naruto could only call disgust. "Sasuke I'm serious! I just want to help you. All I meant is that I'd end up helping her too, by proxy." Naruto brought his hand out to place on Sasuke's shoulder only to have the other knock it away harshly with a threatening glare.

"You're always trying to find some fault in me, some ulterior motive. Why are you constantly painting me out as the bad guy?" Naruto asked quickly, hurt.

"I need you to be the bad guy," Sasuke growled through gritted teeth, "otherwise-."

Naruto frowned when the other stopped talking. Sasuke's body was wound up and taut, like a spring ready to release.

"Otherwise... what?" The blond asked hesitantly. He stance was defensive as Sasuke stood stock still with vacant eyes.

"Otherwise..." Sasuke swallowed and then scowled. "I don't need to justify myself to you."

Naruto let out loud exaggerated sigh and bent double quickly before righting himself and frowning lightly at the other, pouting.

"I really thought you were going to say something meaningful then."

"Tough shit." Sasuke answered as he blinked slowly before striding to the fridge. Naruto watched him with bewildered eyes before realising what Sasuke was about to do. Naruto clumsily made his way after the other and slammed his hand on the fridge door, wrenching the handle out of Sasuke's grasp and effectively shutting it.

"No more alcohol." Naruto said with a stern look. Sasuke raised an unamused eyebrow before smirking lightly and shrugging. The blond felt like he had whiplash as Sasuke's bad mood seemed to alleviate slightly.

Sasuke shook his head slowly. "As if you could be the bad guy." He muttered quietly to himself.

"What'd you say?" Naruto asked with anger in his tone and a deep concerned frown marring his tanned face. Sasuke studied him impassively for a moment before pointing behind himself.

"I want to use your room." He informed Naruto. The dark circles under his eyes stood out in stark contrast to his skin tone, Naruto noted hazily. Had they gotten worse? He wasn't sure.

"Uh, yeah, sure." The blond straightened and relaxed, brought his hand away from the fridge and scratched his cheek. "Gotta be sorta quiet though, Hinata still might be sleeping in there."

"Yeah, you said." Sasuke answered as he turned to head for the door. Naruto followed him hastily.

"Sasuke uh, do you believe me now, then? That I'm not after Sakura?"

"Doesn't matter what I think."

"Well actually it does, to me." The blond insisted. Naruto felt Sasuke's shoulders stiffen as his palm landed on it, but he didn't pull back. Sasuke glanced behind to look at his face as he proceeded through the throng of the front room.

"If that's what you say then I believe you." Sasuke answered grudgingly, bringing his vision back round to the front, Naruto emitting a look of relief as his hand fell away from Sasuke's shoulder.

"Thank God, man, I'm so relieved."

They pushed themselves through the mass and emerged into the hallway. Sasuke paused outside of Naruto's closed bedroom door and turned his head slightly as Naruto halted.

Silence prevailed for a short moment as Sasuke's hand rested on the door handle.

"Er, she's quite heavy sleeper so you can just go strai-." The dark haired man brought his gaze fully around to settle on the blond's. Naruto stopped talking, confused by the wayward expression directed at him.

"Listen." Sasuke stated, "Let me tell you this, Naruto. There are people who..." He paused briefly, "People who can't help but create problems. And then there are people who are forced to suffer through those problems needlessly. Do you understand?"

Naruto squinted at him. He parted his mouth to comment but snapped it shut again, his bottom lip protruding out slightly.

"Uh, yeah? Sort of." Naruto paused and frowned. "Wait, are you calling me a problem?"

Sasuke suppressed a grunt of annoyance and shook his head, turning the door handle and pushing it open, his tired gaze no longer on the blond. Naruto watched as Sasuke disappeared inside without another word, the door clicking shut quietly.

Naruto pursed his lips and frowned slightly as his drunk addled brain attempted to decode Sasuke's cryptic words. He felt his eyebrows knit closer and closer together as he took several gulps of his beer, finishing the bottle with a dramatic incoherent grumble of confusion.

After a few moments the blond felt his head snap up abruptly as his bathroom door collided heavily with the inside wall, emitting a large bang. Sakura jumped at the noise as she stood framed in the door way, grabbing the door as it recoiled off the tiles and shushing it loudly before apologising repeatedly with a drunken frown on her face.

Naruto only realised how loudly he was laughing when his brain finally registered that the woman's inebriated glare was now aimed in his direction.

"Sakura." He got out weakly between chuckles, his empty beer bottle being swung around in his hand.

"You shouldn't laugh at a lady." She muttered sourly as she walked forward. Naruto watched as she made several miscalculations and somehow managed to trip over her own feet, sending her careening forward with a clear path to kiss the carpet. On instinct Naruto dropped his empty bottle and darted forward, Sakura managing to bring one leg forward in enough time to prevent a complete fall, and instead send herself straight into Naruto's haphazard lunge.

"Nice catch!" The blond sent a grin into the hallway over Sakura's head in acknowledgement of his feat. A couple of bystanders gave out obnoxious cheers and Naruto lapped it up, unabashed. Naruto glanced down at the woman as she tightened her grip on his biceps, using the leverage to get her feet properly underneath her.

"You okay?" Naruto asked, his tanned forearms supporting hers in a light hold.

"Yeah I'm... good. Thanks. For the catch." She answered, glancing up through a thick wall of eyelashes, embarrassment evident in the colour on her cheeks.

Naruto felt himself swallow.

Her eyes were an amazing colour.

"Uh, yeah! No worries! Glad you're okay!" He offered quickly, dropping her arms and glancing around her, breaking their proximity.

He was allowed to find Sakura attractive, he reasoned. Who wouldn't? That didn't mean he was after her. It was just human nature.

She didn't like him anyway, she was in love with Sasuke, that much was obvious. And Sasuke liked her back if his reaction earlier was anything to go by.

Besides! He had Hinata. Beautiful, quiet, precious Hinata.

Who was asleep. At his party.

"-ruto. Naruto." The blond felt himself blink as Sakura batted his arm lightly with a weak fist. Her hair was messy on one side and her lips were shiny with carelessly applied lip-gloss, as if she'd left the bathroom without checking herself in the mirror.

"Where's Sas'ke gone?" She asked.

"He's in there." Naruto indicated his bedroom with a thumb over his shoulder, the pink haired woman not noticing the light blush on his tanned face.

"Oh." She bobbed her head forward several times in a bizarre manner as she reached passed him to grab the handle.

Naruto quickly placed his hands on her shoulders and manoeuvred her across the hall and away from the door, her feet stumbling beneath her.

"Oi oi, what're ya doin'?" She accused, her words slurring together as she pushed his hands away. "I want to see him, he was supposed to wait in the kitchen for me, he said he would." She pouted as she crossed her arms loosely and aimed a glare in Naruto's general vicinity.

"He just wanted to chill by himself for a bit." Naruto offered lamely, wishing he was as far gone as she was. Although he was happy to say he was definitely on his way. "How have you got so wasted so quickly by the way? You were fine when you left us in the kitchen."

"Oh, that? That was the wine which I've finished now." She nodded and took a couple of steps back so she could point through the bathroom door. Naruto raised both eyebrows and took a step forward to peer round the door frame. He let out another bark of laughter as he saw the wine bottle empty on it's side next to the bath.

"Downed it." She stated with a somewhat proud look on her face before it was replaced with sadness. Naruto watched, helpless, as she suffered an emotional free-fall, all the events of the evening catching up with her.

"Sakura are you okay?"

"I'm fine I'm just worried about him. Sasuke. He's just hell bent on this destruction and I think he's sick of me trying to help. I just thought... if I could show him how much I love him it would give him something to focus on and make him get better but... it's just obvious now that he doesn't give a shit about me." She waved her arms up dismissively and gave a short humourless laugh. "I thought if I was patient and was there for him and stuck around then he'd realise that I'm _good_ for him, right for him. But he's just so cold. Why does he need a reason to love me, anyway? Why can't he just _love_ me." She snorted. "I mean he didn't even come to me, he came to _you_."

"Only 'cause I live across the hall." Naruto offered awkwardly, noticing the tears in her eyes.

"Oh come off it Naruto, that's not true."

"Well you said you guys'd had an argument so that must have been the reason why." He tried again.

She paused, weighing up his words. "... we had had an argument." She swallowed as she recalled their disagreement. "But Naruto that was only because I was trying to take care of him aga-"

"He must have been embarrassed or something!" Naruto interjected quickly, animated in his excitement. Sakura frowned at his words.

"What do you mean?"

"Well if it was me and I'd just done something really fucking stupid I wouldn't want the girl I like seeing me like that either so I'd want her to leave too, right?" He nodded quickly as Sakura glanced up at him, sceptical. "And he's a bit of a bastard," She huffed at his words and he gave her a sheepish grin as he spoke, apologising, "he doesn't know how to express his feelings! I mean, it's so obvious! After you left for the toilet he was all funny like 'don't even say her name Naruto'," Sakura laughed prettily at his awful attempt at an impression of Sasuke, the sound very much appreciated by the blond.

"He said that? Why?" She asked, wonder in her voice as he brow furrowed.

"I think he thought I..." Naruto looked at Sakura as a blush spread across his cheeks once again. He averted his gaze and brought his hands up behind his head, feigning indifference. "He must have got jealous when you were trying to calm me down earlier." He got out quickly, not wanting to mention Sasuke's thoughts on his feelings. It was part of the truth anyway and he felt Sakura needed the boost it would give her.

"Oh!" She voiced, bringing her hand to her mouth. "You know I thought that too? Because of the way he was looking at you?" She prompted quickly.

"Looking at _me_?"

"Yeah yeah! All mad? He must have been..." She glanced around, her eyes hooded from the alcohol as she leaned towards Naruto conspiratorially. "Now you mention it, he must have been _jealous._ " Her mouth wrapped around the word sordidly and Naruto took a swallow as her lips moved, his throat suddenly dry. She leant back quickly and raised her eyebrows, rocking on her heels slightly. "Right? That's what you meant, right?" She implored.

"Y-yeah. Yeah, sure."

"And I mean of course Sasuke cares about me. He must be trying to protect me. I just need to show him that I'm strong, I can take it."

Naruto felt a tug in his chest at her sincerity.

"I get that," He ventured, "But, you know, his problems aren't yours, you can help him but you don't have to suffer through them with hi-"

"Yes I do, that's what love is." She said resolute, her face temporarily serious despite the alcohol. "His problems are my problems, I'm not going to leave him alone I'm going to get him through this. I'll understand him as best I can. Both of us, together. We'll be better for it at the end, when he's himself again." She smiled up at him. "Tell me you wouldn't do the same for Hinata."

Naruto looked at her, his brain ticking over slowly as he took in her words. He remembered when Hinata had had problems with her father, how they hadn't been getting on, how upset she'd been and how desperate she'd been to confide in him. Of course Naruto wanted to help her.

But the intensity and ownership Sakura was talking about hadn't been there. As much as he tried to help and be there for her, now that he thought about it, it never really felt like he'd adopted her problem.

"Plus we have you now too, right?" Sakura interrupted his garbled musings. "We'll both help Sasuke."

Naruto looked down into her hopeful face. "Yeah, we're both going to help him."

"Because he's had it rough you know."

"So have a lot of people." Naruto said with a disgruntled snort. Annoyance swept through him as Sasuke was brought to the forefront of this thoughts. He couldn't pin down one emotion for the man, the spectrum of his feelings ranging from compassion one moment to anger the next.

But he wanted to help him. That much he was certain of.

After what he had allowed to happen before... it was the least he could do.

"No no, Naruto." Sakura giggled at her own rhyme before pointing her index finger in the blond's face, his eyes widening. "I'm serious. His whoooooole family died and he was the only one who survived."

Naruto pouted, feigning disinterest. "So Karin told me, loads of people lose their family."

"No Naruto, you're not listening," She drew out the word languidly, her index finger and thumb on both hands making perfect circles, "It was really so awful for him, he couldn't do anything to save them."

"Save them?" Naruto asked, suddenly intrigued. "Like it was his fault?" He was dubious as he squinted at her.

"He thinks it's his fault. They were all in a car accident, Sasuke panicked, couldn't save them." She sighed to herself, almost lost in thought as she fiddled with the cuff of her jacket. "I never want to imagine losing my family, I don't know what I'd do. But Sasuke was especially close with his brother and I think he's never really forgiven himself for not saving him."

"Itachi."

"Yeah... Itachi. Wait, who told you that? It wasn't me. Was it?"

"No it was Karin. Sort of. I heard Sasuke say it the first time but I didn't know who it was until Karin told me." Naruto clarified.

"You didn't mention that in your messages Naruto, this is _serious_." She said with wide emerald eyes as she placed her hands on his shoulders and shook him slightly. Naruto swayed with the movement as he absorbed her words. "Sasuke still _sees_ Itachi and he speaks to him, they have conversations, Sasuke's _not well_." She implored desperately. "You have to tell me this stuff, Naruto, promise me."

As Naruto watched tears brimmed in foamy depths and he felt his eyebrows crease in worry. "Sasuke talking to Itachi is _not_ a good thing." Sakura reiterated.

"Then he should go to the hospital-"

"No! Can't you imagine what that would do to his career? He could never become a doctor, never. They'd never let him complete the course. We can do this by ourselves."

"That can't be true-"

"He's been there a few too many times already. If they think this's permanent they may never let him practice again. I'm not going to be responsible for that." She dropped her arms and brought them around herself instead. "What he's been through, it was... brutal. I mean it's a tragedy we could never understand, you know?"

Naruto swallowed. "Actually I kind of get it. I've grown up without my biological parents, they died when I was really young so I don't really remember them all that much. Still I was lucky 'cause I still had someone who were sort of there for me and took care of me."

Sakura looked on with a blank face before smiling a small vacant smile. "So it's not really the same though, is it? I mean if you don't remember them then you don't know what you've missed out on, you were kind of alone from the start. You don't know the pain of losing them." She said with an absent-minded flick of her wrist.

Naruto felt the air around him go still and stagnant as he took in her words. His mouth fell open ever so slightly, slack from the unintended blow that her words has just dealt him.

Sakura was pretty. He couldn't deny that. And she wasn't a horrible person, that much was for sure. Someone who cared as much for a person as she seemed to for Sasuke surely couldn't intentionally mean to hurt someone.

Unable to heed his own rationale Naruto felt an ache spread from the pit of his stomach up into his chest and take residence there, carving out another piece from the already ever present hole. What he would have given to have memories of his parents to hang on to. Memories he could revisit when he couldn't sleep. At least Sasuke had those. But Sakura wouldn't allow herself to understand that, it seemed.

Her words sent a chill through him.

They were contradictory in nature compared to her previous comments about helping Sasuke together, almost as if she didn't want anyone to be able to relate to Sasuke more than she could, to convince herself that she was the most qualified to take care of him. But more than that her words were frightening. She had put Sasuke's pain on a pedestal that she felt no one else could reach.

Naruto watched her with harrowed eyes as she swayed on her feet, his earlier interpretation of her behaviour hurtling back to him but a million times stronger. Her love for Sasuke wasn't normal. It was obsessional, he could see now. No matter what Sasuke did she would keep coming back for more, even if he was free of his current demons.

Sasuke was her addiction.

Her words echoed through his head, causing blurry images to swim tauntingly around.

A bright red head of hair flashed through his mind and Naruto inhaled a large gulp of air.

 _I should have done more._

 _Should have_ been _there._

Sakura's looked up as Naruto sniffed and averted his gaze from her direction, bringing a hand up to his forehead to push his hair back roughly. Blue eyes stricken.

"You okay?" She asked obliviously as she raised an eyebrow. "Lookin' a bit pale there."

She drew his gaze and when he saw the genuine drunken concern in her face he concentrated on it, used it as an anchor as his train of thought was dragged to a halt.

Confusion creased her nose as she brought her hand up and tapped the blond lightly on the cheek a couple of times before grabbing his hand.

"Oi, stay with me, would you? You're off with the fairies or something."

The alcohol in his body seemed to flood his system in one sudden swoop and Naruto felt tears well up in his eyes.

Sakura was talking as she tugged on his hand, encouraging him to sit on the carpet and rest against the wall next to her, but Naruto ignored her talk of Sasuke and Itachi.

Naruto knew were her priorities lied but he enjoyed the superficial comfort of her hand in his anyway.

Xxxxx

Thank you for reading, as always feedback is gratefully received!


	9. Chapter 9

Finally! Thank you to those who left comments and reviews, I appreciate your kind words! Let the party continue...

xxxxx

Sasuke felt the latch catch gently as he glanced around Naruto's bedroom, his hand still resting on the handle as his eyes fell on the comatose lump underneath Naruto's duvet. There was a dim lamp set up on an unpacked cardboard box in the far corner of the room, it's light doing a poor job of battling the darkness. The sullen atmosphere suited Sasuke's mood well.

Sasuke walked to the wall opposite the foot of the bed and lowered himself down. He kept one knee bent and sent the other out long in front of him as he rested his forearm on his knee, getting comfortable.

What an absolute moron. What a dim witted, slow, absolutely stupid moron.

Naruto found Sakura attractive. His gaze had held enough longing when he'd watched her leave to confirm that without his lacklustre verbal declaration. Was it just a crush? He hadn't known her long, it surely couldn't be anything deeper than that. As much as Naruto claimed to have some sort of supreme insight into Sakura's mental health he hadn't had enough time to get to know her properly.

Sasuke knew Sakura was drowning herself in his problems. He'd offered her life jackets time and again, tried to disconnect her from his issues. But she cannon-balled back in every time. He'd lost the will to argue. Maybe Naruto was right and he could pull her out for the last time. She deserved that, to be happy.

Blue eyes swam through his mind and Sasuke felt his own narrow.

No.

Not from Naruto.

A loud bang rang from behind the closed bedroom door. Sasuke lifted his gaze as the duvet on the bed shifted slowly, a dishevelled head of long dark hair rising up. Delicate features glanced around the near darkness, landing on nothing in particular as she yawned.

Sasuke shifted against the carpet.

"Oh God!" Pale eyes fell onto him as she pushed herself against the headboard, her hand against her generous chest as she tried to calm herself. "Who's there? Y-you shouldn't be in here, this is Naruto's room." She declared pitifully.

He waited a moment. "He said it was fine." He voiced neutrally. She squinted at him, trying to pull together his features in the darkness. "In fact, he offered."

"He offered..." She reiterated as she gathered herself as close to the headboard as possible. "Is it... it's Sasuke, isn't it?"

"Hn." He grunted in affirmation.

She kept quiet a moment as if assessing the situation.

"You live in this building too... you musn't have known Naruto for very long." She surmised.

Sasuke tried to control his voice as he spoke. "No, I haven't." It seemed it didn't matter where he went in this apartment, someone would want to drag small talk out of him.

"How did you happen to meet?" She asked quietly. Sasuke scratched his knee.

"We live on the same floor in the same building, it really isn't very surprising." Sasuke flicked hardened eyes in her direction, the hostile heat of them reaching her despite the darkness. She flinched away from him.

"I suppose you're right. I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" She stuttered quietly.

"If you want a conversation I'm sure there are plenty of people behind that door more than willing." Sasuke offered coldly, unmoving. Hinata nodded slowly as she worried her lower lip between her teeth.

"Sorry." She whispered quietly as she settled against the headboard.

Sasuke enjoyed the still quiet of the room, acknowledging how perfect the silence felt after so much chatter. After so much inane noise.

As Sasuke relaxed he felt his attention once again wander. Pink hair flickered through his mind.

As much as Sakura tried her hardest to understand him, help him, he found her very presence a reminder of everything that had happened. She had seen how he had changed. And he hated it. Her delicate treatment and cautious words were agonizing. Her desperation and exaggerated reactions were exhausting.

She was tentatively overbearing. He had tried to appreciate it, after the accident, after everything. But he knew why she was this way. She was compensating.

She felt guilty.

On the day it had happened, and even weeks, months after, everything was a blur. People came and left again, weaving in and out of his home. Everyday routines melted away until only the necessities remained. He ate, bathed and slept. Took the medication he was prescribed. Repeat.

But through the mesh of this new schema, there was one expression he would never forget, and it had been on her face first. The look of relief.

 _Thank God it wasn't my family._

 _Thank_ God _it wasn't mine._

She had taken in a shaky breath as she loomed over him, her eyes wide as one dainty pale hand had rested over her heart. Her eyebrows had been drawn down, creasing her forehead with worry as she imagined the scenario, agony residing in wide green eyes. Then she'd released her breath, let her hand come down and rest at her side, let her brows unravel as relief flooded her system, relaxed her composure, let her eyes blink slowly.

When those eyes had landed on his dark gaze Sasuke knew what Sakura had been imagining. And she knew it too.

Naruto was right. Sakura _was_ trapped. But it wasn't his doing. She'd clambered behind the bars herself and willingly thrown away the key. But Sasuke wasn't going to explain that, the blond would never believe him.

Naruto, on the other hand.

 _Naruto._

When Naruto said something, Sasuke felt like listening. Felt like the blond... knew what he was going through.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. He had tried to warn him. He had tried.

 _I need you to be the bad guy otherwise..._

"Sasuke?" Hinata asked timidly. Sasuke was dragged from his reverie as he heard his name whispered. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, how much more time he'd spent drifting in old memories, but the sombre atmosphere was palpable.

"Sas-"

"What?" He answered irritably.

"Sorry. Uh." Sasuke heard a sniff before the ruffle of the duvet had him lifting his head. Hinata crawled to the end of the bed and settled there, gazing down at him shyly. "Do you know where Naruto is?" She asked, winding her hair out of her face as she spoke.

Sasuke wondered just how much she'd had to drink. He'd been in here with her for an unknown amount of time, he had no idea where Naruto was now. He closed his eyes, useless as they were in the quiet light, and rested his head back against the wall.

"How am I supposed to know." He sent his bent knee out straight. "Probably with Sakura." He added as an afterthought. Images of them whispering together had him clenching his teeth.

She paused a moment, her hands full of her thick locks.

"Who's Sakura?" She asked, her hands dropping away to her sides.

"A friend." Sasuke offered.

"Your girlfriend?"

"No." Sasuke said immediately.

"I don't know her."

"It's not that surprising." Sasuke noted something strange in her tone. "What, it's not like you know all of Naruto's friends. Surely." He opened his eyes and brought his head forward in curiosity.

She waited a moment, her head shifting. "... most of them." She supplied shyly. "What does she look like?"

"Go and find out."

"How long has he known her?" She persisted.

"He doesn't know her." He wanted to laugh at the ludicrous suggestion.

"T-then what's their connection?" Pale hands gripped into the duvet. Sasuke felt her words and tone quickly gather and connect in his mind. He knew jealousy, even in Hinata's curious and timid form.

What sweet horror.

Just one small seed, that's all it would take.

Sasuke replied slowly; "They've just been texting," _about me._ The alcohol he'd consumed hadn't made him loose-lipped enough to admit that piece of information. _More's the pity,_ he thought. _That could have saved you._

"Texting." She whispered wistfully.

They sat still in the silence. Sasuke heard her breathing, elevated and quick. Gradually worsening. He danced with the idea of advising her to breath deep, breath slow, to calm down. But he was under no obligation. After all, he wasn't a doctor.

She heaved a heavy breath deep into her lungs and held it, before releasing it in one slow exhale.

"I'm going to go and... find them." She didn't move from the bed. Her fingers played with the duvet, stalling, as if looking for some courage. Sasuke arched an eyebrow that she couldn't see.

When he failed to say anything more Hinata finally rose from the bed and tip-toed to the door. With slow movements she grasped the handle and pulled it down, opening the door a mere sliver.

Sasuke heard her sharp intake of breath and it drew his attention quickly, his eyebrows narrowed. Her grasp fell away from the handle and the door pivoted inward, opening wider and displaying the hallway.

"Naruto." She breathed achingly, despair winding through his name like poison.

Xxxxx

"Naruto."

Hearing his name Naruto lifted his head. Hinata was framed in his bedroom doorway with a hand over mouth and her clothes ruffled from sleep. But her eyes were wide awake and creased.

"Hey, you're awake." Naruto answered with a tepid smile as he brought his left hand up and rubbed his face.

"Naruto what's going on?" She asked quietly, a tremble jarring her words. He paused, confusion swimming about him.

Sakura leant into his right side, her free hand cupped around her face to hide her lips. "Wow, Naruto, she's stunning." She said by way of approval. Naruto could see her nodding her head out of the corner of his eye as she rested back against the wall.

Naruto watched, bemused, as Hinata's lower lip trembled, her pale eyes fixated between himself and Sakura. He glanced down to catch sight of what was troubling her and found his fingers intertwined tightly with Sakura's.

"You must be Hinata!" Sakura declared cheerfully, obliviously, as she lifted their clasped hands up and down in a greeting gesture. "I'm Sakura."

Naruto felt the colour drain from his face, dread settling unwelcome in his stomach. He felt like a little boy who'd been caught stealing from the cookie jar.

"...Sakura." Hinata whispered as she pulled at her clothes self-consciously, unsure what to do with herself. "N-Naruto I'd like to talk to you outside, privately. Please."

"Yeah, sure." Naruto answered quickly, detaching himself from Sakura and stumbling upright. Sakura watched him, bewildered at was she was seeing.

Naruto crossed the short distance between him and Hinata, his hands out before him, but she flinched as he approached, her eyes on the floor. "No, just... let's talk, outside." She asked again without looking up.

"Is everything okay?" Sakura asked, using the wall for support as she pushed herself up. She swayed slightly on her feet but she tried valiantly to project sober intentions with her eyes.

"It's fine!" Naruto answered over zealously, glancing at Sakura over his shoulder and sending her a sunny grin. "I'll be right back."

Hinata ducked around him and headed for the front door, eager to extract herself. Naruto turned to follow her. As he pivoted his body his gaze fell onto Sasuke, the other curiously still, dark eyes intense as they briefly held blue. Naruto swallowed and continued turning, blinked and followed behind Hinata, close enough to touch but consciously not doing so.

Once out in the hallway Naruto was grateful to see no overflow of his friends, just a deserted sharply lit corridor. Hinata fidgeted before him. She twisted her hands and kept her eyes downcast as she worried at her lower lip.

Naruto scratched the back of his head as the silence stretched on.

"Hinata-"

"Is she the reason you wouldn't stay with me?" She asked hurriedly, glancing up at Naruto with wide lavender eyes.

"What?" Naruto asked, trying to decipher her words, eyes squinting as he dropped his hand.

"Y-you wouldn't stay with me earlier, even though I haven't seen you in _months_." She quivered.

"You were drunk, Hinata, I couldn't do that to you, what are you even saying?" Naruto implored, stricken at her complaint.

"You could have stayed if you wanted to." Hinata concluded demurely.

"No!" Naruto shouted, making them both jump. "I... I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself, what the fuc-" She flinched at the swear word and took a step back. "Ah no, sorry, I didn't mean to swear-"

Hinata let out a desperate puff of air as she wrung her hands. "Why were you holding her hand?"

"She's got some stuff going on, I was just supporting her. As a friend." The blond stated firmly, eyebrows high. Blue eyes tried to catch and hold on to hers but her gaze flitted about nervously.

"Naruto you know that I can't... deal with this sort of thing. I don't... Naruto I need reassurance, I'm not happy with things... this being this way." She scrabbled for the right words. "You promised things wouldn't be this way." She brought small hands up to her mouth and covered it, smothering her disbelief.

"I won't go back on my word." Naruto voiced resolutely, coming forward and lightly grasping her forearms. She sobbed, the motion racking her small frame as she came forward and into his chest. He wrapped loose arms around her, holding her lightly against him.

Nauto felt exhausted as the strain of the night's events engulfed him, his head dipping forward as he took a slow breath.

Hinata shifted against him before growing suddenly still, as if she'd remembered something. She looked up. "Naruto... can I see your phone?" She blinked moisture.

"Sure." He answered. Slightly bewildered but without hesitation he loosened himself and pulled the slim device from his back pocket. She pulled back slightly and accepted it dubiously before she input a pin number and frowned prettily when the phone shook in denial.

"You've... your pin's changed." She stated quietly, head down.

"Oh shi- crap, yeah." Naruto responded with a grimace, trying to mask the swear word. "Kiba got hold of my old one, hang on a sec." He pulled the phone from her hands and punched in a new set of numbers before handing it back to her.

Naruto watched as she peered at the phone, navigating to what she wanted to see before scrolling quickly, relentlessly.

"So... so many messages, Naruto." He voice cracked. "You don't message me this much."

"But don't be silly," Naruto said with a slight laugh, "Just look at the contents, they're all about-"

"The contents doesn't _matter_." Her lip quivered as she shoved the phone back into his hands. "I shouldn't have come tonight, I have dance exams coming up and this isn't helping, you said I could trust you but this is not... I can't be without you Naruto but if you cheat on me I-"

Naruto looked on in disbelief. "I'd could _never_ do that to you-"

"He said the same thing."

"Let me get Sakura, she'll tell you."

"No no, I don't want to, this was silly coming here, I'm sorry, I-I need to go. I need to get Neji and leave." She moved passed him and spun around as he turned to follow her. She walked backwards to the door. "I want to be the best type of person for you Naruto and I've proven to myself tonight that I'm not that person, not yet. I'm not strong."

"Hinata this is silly, it's just the alcohol talking."

"Maybe it is but you said I could trust you and right now I'm not feeling secure and I don't know if it's your fault or mine or the alcohol." She sniffed. "Should I be okay? With that?" She gestured towards his phone. "And even if I should be, can I?" Dark locks flew around her head as she shook her head. "I don't know and it's just not fair. On you, me."

Hinata opened Naruto's front door with her back to it and made to move into the house, tripping on the slight step. Naruto jolted forward to protect her from a fall, but she caught the door frame and shied away from his outstretched hands.

"Are we... done? Are you breaking up with me?" Naruto asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"No!" She almost shouted. "God, no. Just... give me some space, tonight. I'll speak to you tomorrow." Her hands came up and made pushing motions towards him as she made her way into his home, warning him to stay back, before she became submerged in the mass of people.

Naruto stood still for a moment, shocked.

How had _that_ happened.

Xxxxx

Sasuke sat on the edge of Naruto's bed and watched the hallway through the ajar door, his hands dangling between his knees.

Hinata had come back, but Naruto hadn't.

As if on cue Sasuke heard the latch of the front door catch before the blond strode purposefully past the bedroom door. Sasuke stood, intrigued, and made his way over, opening the door slightly and standing in the frame.

Sakura stood against the opposite wall with her phone in her hands, but her eyes were peeled to the front room entrance, her mouth creating a small 'o'. She looked up as movement caught her attention and she swallowed when she saw him, green eyes heavy.

"Sasuke." She breathed before smiling. She took a step towards him only to stumble back hurriedly when a blur of cascading dark hair rushed passed.

"Hinata, wait!" Naruto careened through seconds after and made a grab for the pale girls hand. Sasuke watched with impassive interest as she manoeuvred out of the way.

He couldn't help but notice as party-goers leered at the entertainment, whispering their opinions as Neji made his way over impatiently and assured Naruto that he would take care of Hinata. That he thought it best they discuss it tomorrow, when the alcohol had worn off.

Sasuke couldn't see the blond's face but the quick movements of his shoulders and the way he kept running his hands through his hair made his distress evident.

A feminine gasp drew his attention briefly as Ino extracted herself from the onlookers and stumbled over to Sakura, heels in hand.

"Looks like you might have a chance after all." She breathed quietly as she pointed at Naruto and Hinata, Sasuke barely able to hear.

"You're such a bitch, you know that?" Sakura answered back unimpressed as her friend dissolved into a fit of giggles, swinging her shoes around and doubling over with laughter.

Sasuke watched as she dried fake tears of mirth before she noticed his presence. Her eyes grew wide and she pressed her mouth together in a thin line as she motioned maddeningly towards him.

"Oh! Sasuke! Oh my gosh, the drama's not about you, what a surprise!" She relished sarcastically as she glanced between Sasuke and the commotion at the front door. "You must be feeling sooooo left out." The blonde drawled caustically. "I could kiss you if you want, that would get everyone's attention." Sakura elbowed her in the ribs with an angry hiss, Ino glaring at her.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "If I want an STD I'll let you know."

"Ohhhhh burn." She mouthed prettily. Sakura raised an exasperated eyebrow.

"That was your burn, you got burnt, did you even listen?"

"Who the fuck cares, I-" Ino stopped abruptly and looked up as Sakura grasped her arm. They watched as Naruto came to a standstill between them, one hand behind his head.

"Naruto what happened?" Sakura asked cautiously. Naruto gave a small embarrassed laugh.

"You know, I actually have no idea. That was really fucking random. This whole night has been so weird." He answered, bringing his hand down as a frown swept over his face. Sasuke watched intently. "There's only one thing to do now."

Sakura looked on, wary. "What's that?"

"He's lost it." Ino said, transfixed.

"Shhhh Ino."

"Get smashed." He said with a sudden wide grin.

Ino slapped him lightly on the back. "You know Naruto I'm really starting to like you."

"What's not to like?" He asked incredulously. The girls laughed and turned, making their way to the kitchen now that the drama was over.

"Naruto." Sasuke called, drawing the blond's attention. He stumbled slightly at the sound of his name as he rounded on Sasuke, the girls melding into the crowd.

"Hey," Naruto answered with a smile, "You okay?"

Sasuke snorted. "Are you?"

"I'm fine!" Naruto answered loudly, but his smiled slipped as he took in Sasuke's disbelieving apathy. Naruto sighed, loud and brash as he scratched his cheek.

"Idiot." Sasuke voiced. Naruto frowned pointedly at the dark haired man.

"It'll be fine, we're gonna talk it out tomorrow."

"And you think it'll definitely get sorted tomorrow." Sasuke voiced, implying naivety.

"Yeah, we'll chat and it'll be fine, like I just said." Naruto pursed his lips and came to stand against the wall, Sasuke angling his body towards the blond.

"Really."

Naruto levelled his cool blue gaze on tired black. "Yeah, really. What's it to you anyway? You keep reminding me that we're not friends." Naruto snorted and removed his gaze, glaring at the wall opposite instead. He drummed his fingers against the wall in sporadic patterns. "Why would you care."

"...you've helped me out." Sasuke offered. "I haven't died in the last twenty-four hours, I think that's partly your responsibility."

Naruto pursed his lips. Sasuke could see Naruto wondering whether to drop it or not. "Is this your way of saying thanks?" He eventually voiced.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going to say it again."

"You didn't even say it the first time." Naruto snickered, amused. Sasuke watched as the blond's face contorted as his laugh evolved, felt that sunny feeling radiate out from him and glide against his own skin, his fingers twitching.

"Well, you're welcome, bastard." Naruto said with a grin.

"Hn."

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow as Naruto let out an unexpectedly loud, deep groan, drawing the attention of a few guests.

"Ughh, come on, let's just get wasted." The blond decided, swinging his arm around Sasuke's neck and pulling him in tight. Sasuke grit his teeth and shoved the blond sideways lightly, forcing him to break his grip. Naruto staggered a step. "Whoops, sorry, forgot you're a bit _anti-touch_." Naruto voiced with a slight snicker and air quotes. Sasuke frowned and folded his arms.

"I'm not anti-touch, you idiot." He smirked. "I'm just not into blonds."

"Holy shit, is that a sense of humour?" Naruto said mockingly as he squinted.

"I'm just speaking the truth." Sasuke answered plainly.

"Ha! You don't know what you're missing, ask Hinata, she'll be able to tell you..." Naruto tapered off slowly as he remembered their argument. Sasuke stilled as Naruto let out a long sigh as he brought a tanned hand to his neck. Sasuke frowned.

"Don't think about it now."

"How can I not." Naruto huffed and blew air into his cheeks. He brought wide hands to his cheeks and compressed them, squashing the air out before glancing at Sasuke.

"You didn't say anything to Hinata, did you?" He asked suddenly. "In my room."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "No."

"Did you guys talk?"

"Briefly."

"And she didn't say anything weird?"

"She was drunk." Sasuke reminded him. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. It's so weird how she went off like that, it's kinda unlike her. You sure you didn't say anything?"

"I'm not going to answer that again." _It was something I didn't say._ Sasuke's frowned deepened at that knowledge. "You're not going to be able to do anything about it tonight, there's no point brooding over it." He concluded eventually. Naruto's eyes sharpened.

"No, brooding's your job, right?" He snipped.

Sasuke felt his head snap back slightly before he rounded a glare on the blond.

"What did you say." He ordered.

"Ah, Sas, I didn't mean it badly-"

"I couldn't care less." He lied, interrupting. "I'm taking your bed, don't wake me up." He said as he turned and left Naruto standing in the hallway.

As he turned to shut the door he glanced at the blond and took in a sharp breath. Naruto rubbed his hands down his face before pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes, his mouth muttering words Sasuke couldn't hear.

He looked beaten.

Before Sasuke could react Naruto shook his head and plastered a smile on his face, poking it with tanned fingers before he made his way into the front room.

Sasuke swallowed as he watched him leave.

Xxxxx

Have mercy have _mercy._ Thanks for reading this chapter! I'm really looking forward to publishing the next few chapters, gotta get these boys interacting, you know? 3 As always comments are wholeheartedly welcome, thank you for your time and I hope you enjoyed.


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you for the kind words left by the reviewers, and thank you for everyone who has taken the time to read this story.

Xxxxx

Sasuke lay prone on Naruto's bed as the darkness shrouded him. He didn't want nor did he need the comfort of the lamp in the corner. He'd shut it off as soon as he'd re-entered.

The duvet, sheets, pillows all smelt of Naruto and at first he'd felt his lip curl in distaste as he lay rigid and uncomfortable. But as time slowly passed his body released the tightly coiled tension he so stubbornly held on to and his face had relaxed, allowing the scent to willingly invade his system, slowly becoming invisible. To slowly provide a semblance of surprisingly welcome security in its familiarity, despite their constant clashing. He had grit his teeth at the thought. Why was he surprised anymore?

"Sasuke?" Just as consciousness was finally deserting him he heard a soft feminine whisper that had him pulled jarringly back to full wakefulness. But he held still, not giving himself away, expecting that the intruder would leave.

He kept his breathing even as the moments ticked by.

" _Sasuke?_ " He heard his name hissed this time, light accompanying it as the door was pushed open wide. "Are you awake?"

Sasuke frustratingly deduced that entertaining her might get her to leave quicker, his foul mood, an unwelcome guest, trickling over from earlier.

He grunted and pushed himself up. He glanced at her with dark eyes as he planted his feet flat on the carpet whilst Sakura came in fully and pushed the door shut with accidental force, plunging them into darkness. He felt the shift in the air as she jumped.

"Oops." She muttered softly. Sasuke listened as she dug at her clothes before she giggled in triumph as the lamp from her phone shone brightly in his direction. He winced and brought his hand up to shield his eyes from the light but it quickly moved away as Sakura searched for the light switch.

"Don't." He ordered as her hand hovered on the switch, the bright light swinging back in his direction, Sakura huffing.

"Why not?" She asked, quickly followed by a eureka gasp of mischievous wonder as she came swiftly towards the bed. Sasuke felt her leg hit the side of the divan roughly and she cursed before falling down next to him, shifting close into his side as she absentmindedly rubbed her bruised shin with her free hand.

Sasuke leant away as she flung her phone behind her onto the duvet, the light stretching uselessly up towards the ceiling as he felt her breath ghost over his cheek, Sakura leaning in close. He frowned at her proximity.

"Sakura-"

"Don't be shy." She cajoled sweetly as his face contorted at the reek of wine from her words.

"I wouldn't know how." He stated blandly as he placed a hand on her shoulder and gently but firmly pushed her away. She resisted, her hand coming up to grasp his tightly, moving it off and into the small space left between them. He pulled back on his hand and she quickly brought her left over to secure her grip on him.

She swayed dangerously, smacking her lips together in her drunkenness.

"Yes you would, you're being shy right now, you wouldn't even let me turn the light on."

"Sakura, let go of my hand." His tone was irritable. Her grip loosened slightly at the harshness of his tone before tightening anew, Sakura bouncing their hands together tightly.

"Stop being so _shy,_ it's only me." Sasuke could hear the coy smile present in her words.

"I'm not being shy Sakura, I want you to let go of my hand. I want to sleep."

Sasuke heard her sharp intake of breath as she squeezed his hand.

" _Together?_ " She whispered, her tone sordid and dripping with something Sasuke couldn't put his finger on.

"No." He voiced sternly. "If you're tired then go home."

"I don't want to leave you, not now, not after everything." She whispered. She dropped his hand and swiftly encircled her arms around his shoulders, pulling herself tightly into his side as she lifted her face towards his. Alarmed, Sasuke angled away from her, an awkward hand on her waist as he pulled away towards the head of the bed.

She always seemed to lose the knowledge of her own strength after a drink.

Sakura brought a hand up into his hair and brought his face down to meet hers, her glossy lips planting a deep kiss onto the side of his mouth.

His eyes drew unimaginably wide as he shoved her away, her grip suddenly weak. She bounced back lightly on the bed with a shaky intake of breath.

"Sasuke it's okay-"

"What the fuck are you thinking?" He asked sharply as he snatched up her phone and shone the light in her direction.

He took in the sight of her, her clothes skewed and her normally tidy hair ruffled and messy. Green eyes squinted in his direction, the light bright in her eyes, but her inebriation starkly evident. She brought a hand up to shield her eyes.

"I know how you feel about me Sasuke, you don't have to hide it any more, why should we?" She slurred, reclined on an elbow.

Sasuke looked on in confusion.

"You _like_ me." She stated.

"You're a…" Sasuke searched for the most appropriate word before finally settling with; "friend."

"See!" She voiced loudly, Sasuke narrowing his eyes. "Why did you hesitate? I'm _more_ than a friend, I can see it now, it all makes sense, how you've been treating me. I saw how you reacted."

Her words caused him to halt as he tried to recollect the situation she was referring to. "Reacted when?"

"When Naruto touched me." Sasuke felt his blood freeze in his veins as her words filled the room, seeming to echo continuously. So she'd noticed. Of course she'd interpret it this way. Sakura pushed herself up fully as he failed to answer. "You were jealous; I saw it in your face. I'm sorry, I should have noticed it sooner. But it's okay. We can start now. We can be together from now." She smiled with drunken confidence as she looked in his general direction, unable to see his face passed the light.

Sasuke was grateful for it.

He knew how she felt about him, of course. He'd always known, but he'd taken care to consistently make sure that Sakura never got the impression that he reciprocated her feelings.

"Sakura, no." She laughed lightly.

"What do you mean, 'no'?"

He had to put this to bed once and for all.

"We're friends, and that's all we'll ever be. You saw what you wanted to see." He said harshly.

Sakura's smile faltered. "No, I… I saw it, definitely-" She squinted, "Let me turn the light on." She made to get up but Sasuke loosely grasped her wrist, the contact stopping her as she glanced between his hand and the general direction of his face.

"We've got no reason to like each other."

"We don't need a reason, Sasuke, love just _is_." She voiced desperately as her eyes danced about in alarm. "I know what I saw-"

It was Sasuke's turn to laugh, the man unable to help himself, needing to divert her thoughts. "You saw what you wanted to see." He reaffirmed, "You always do." She grew ridged at his words before snatching the phone from his hands quickly.

"I'm not stupid I know what I saw…" She said, but she already sounded unsure. She fumbled with the device and shut the light off, but the dimmer light from the screen illuminated her face, anguish and embarrassment causing her shoulders to shake as she staved off tears. She glanced at him through a curtain of pink hair. "Please, Sasuke. Don't do this." She pleaded as her lower lip trembled.

He'd had enough of this. One last nail in the coffin.

" _You did this to yourself._ "

Xxxxx

Naruto laughed with the intensity only alcohol could fuel, slapping Kiba between the shoulder blades as the brunet's own laughter wracked his body, spit flying from his open mouth. Ino giggled lightly between them as she sipped from her glass.

"So so Ino, babe, do you think they look bad?" Kiba finally barked as he wiped tears of amusement from his eyes. Ino looked him up and down.

"Do what look bad?" She asked cunningly with an amused smile, a light lift of one side of her full lips as she took another sip of her drink.

Kiba waved his hands at himself. "My tattoos." He indicated before shoving Naruto, who'd snorted and started laughing again. Ino failed to hold back a simmer of amusement herself as she let her silence stretch on.

"… They don't look _bad._ " She finally quipped, enjoying the splutter of indignation from the brunet.

"What was that!"

She lifted her shoulders with a feigned look of innocence, not-so-secretly enjoying riling the man up. "I'm just saying they aren't the _worst_ I've seen, you know?"

"You _know_?" Naruto echoed, snickering gleefully when Kiba cuffed him lightly on the shoulder.

"Like I'm going to take your word for it Naruto." Naruto shrugged.

"Take Ino's instead." The blond answered, glancing at the woman to his side. Kiba's gaze followed his.

Ino had her phone held in her spare hand and her eyes were wide, unblinking as she stared at the screen.

"What's up? You okay?" Kiba asked dubiously as her shock turned to an intense glare.

"Shit." She muttered before glancing between the two men. "I have to go."

" _What_?" Kiba exclaimed loudly. "What? No, babe, stay, everyone's having a great time." He gestured outwards with his drink. Naruto looked at her with a steady gaze, no humour present.

"What's happened?" Naruto asked. Ino knocked back her drink and briefly held his gaze whilst ignoring Kiba's spluttering.

"I'm sure you'll find out soon enough." She said vaguely as she placed her empty glass on the kitchen table. As she spun around to leave the room Kiba grabbed her hand, halting her.

She turned misty eyes onto him. "What?"

"Uh…"

"Call me." She directed as she slid her hand out of his grasp and sauntered towards the kitchen exit. Kiba watched her for a moment before something clicked in his head.

"Oi! You didn't even give me your number!" He shouted loudly.

She glanced back, a hand on the door frame. "If you want it that bad you'll find it." She said with a sultry smile before being engulfed by the crowd.

Kiba stood still for a moment as he gazed forlorn at the spot she'd just occupied, then he spun and faced Naruto, pouting.

"Jesus there's my chance of getting any gone for tonight."

"You were _never_ getting that tonight." Naruto said with a childish snort and shake of his head. "Wonder why she left so quickly." He pondered, intrigued.

"Who cares, probably some ridiculous girl problem." Kiba said with an irritated shrug, his eyebrows drawn down. The brunet put on his best feminine voice, the sound coming out raspy and ridiculously high pitched as he spoke; "Oh noooo, so sad, some guy said something remotely off-ish and now I'll have to moan about it for _hours_ with my friend, booo hoo hooooo." He huffed and shook his head. "Give me a break."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Wow, try not to be too salty."

"What, it's alright for you, you've got Hinata." Kiba complained as he leant against the fridge.

"She's not just something to sleep with." Naruto said haughtily at his friend. The brunet picked up on the mildly hostile tone from the blond.

"Chill dude, I didn't mean it like that. I just mean you've got this gorgeous, long haired, sweet, gentle-" Naruto coughed dramatically as he raised an eyebrow at his friend's excessive compliments. Kiba cleared his throat, the alcohol having loosened his tongue. "You've got someone and I don't. 'Course I'm salty." He finally concluded.

Naruto sighed, his eyelids heavy from the alcohol as he ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe not after tonight."

"Huh?"

"She left."

"Really." Kiba stated evenly, watching his friend as intently as he could. Naruto noticed the brunet's fingers twitch and then settle as he nodded, his face schooled.

"You guys'll sort it out, you're made for each other." Kiba offered moments later, a bizarre grin on his face. "Forget about it, get drunk with me."

Naruto's faced mirrored the brunets as he grinned, unaware, pulling the vodka bottle over to them as he wiggled his eyebrows. "You've still got your hand." Naruto said, picking up on an earlier part of their conversation.

Kiba took a gulp of his beer and brought his right hand up to study it, turning it over and sighing. "Guess it's just you and me tonight buddy." He said sadly.

"We can get some nail varnish and you can pretend it's someone else." Naruto offered with a snicker.

"What, the female Incredible Hulk?" He said, indicating the size of his hand. "No thanks."

Xxxxx

Sasuke resisted the urge to growl when he heard Naruto's front door slam _again_ , cementing the notion that he wasn't going to be sleeping any time soon. Groping for his phone he brought it towards him and checked the time. It had been a couple of hours since Sakura had left.

Still dressed in his clothes but minus his shoes he pushed himself up and pocketed his phone before crossing the room and opening the door, peering out.

The hallway was in disarray, devoid of bodies but littered with bottles and glasses. The main light was off but the front room light lit it well enough, the scene in there looking much the same as the hallway did. He ventured out of Naruto's room with a frown plastered in distaste on his face.

As he entered the living room his noted that it too didn't have any people present. Apart from one. One very wasted person. One blue eyed blond, in fact.

Naruto lay sprawled out between his coffee table and sofa looking a little worse for wear.

 _I could just leave him there._ Sasuke thought mildly, debating.

"Oi." Voiced the blond as he lifted his cheek off of the carpet. A line of drool dripped from his mouth to his chin and he glared in Sasuke's general direction. Sasuke raised an unamused eyebrow as he crossed his arms. "This is my house, get out, party is hella over." Naruto slurred whilst waving his arm about before wiping it haphazardly across his mouth, mopping up the drool.

"So now you're kicking me out." Sasuke said neutrally. Naruto squinted in the light.

"Sas'ke? That you?"

"Unfortunately." Was the dry response.

"Man." The blond said, laughing as he pushed himself up onto all fours. "That was a great-" He stopped mid-sentence, eyes wide as his cheeks bulged before he emptied the contents of his stomach onto the carpet. He heaved uncomfortably, groaning as Sasuke glared from his spot near the door. Naruto glanced at the dark haired man with a grin.

"'Least I won't have a hangover tomorrow, now."

"You're already this drunk, it's too late for being sick to save you. At all." Sasuke walked towards him and gazed down superiorly. "The best you can hope for is that you remember to put a glass of water and painkillers next to your bed for the morning."

Naruto pushed himself up so he could lean on the sofa, as far from the sick as he could be without actually moving. He ran a hand through his hair.

"You don't have to sweet talk me." He said with a lazy smile. Sasuke felt his glare intensify.

"Get to bed."

"Can't, Sas'ke's sleeping in there."

"You'd prefer the bath." Sasuke stated coldly. Naruto frowned and shook his head quickly, no. "Then get up."

"Yessir." The blond affirmed with a quick nod as he twisted his body and placed his hand straight into the pile of puke. Sasuke let out a frustrated sigh as he dropped his arms and rounded on the blond who was gradually pulling himself up, smearing sick on the sofa. "This is fucking classy." Naruto said with a laugh as his head tipped back and he waved his hand up for Sasuke to see. "Lookit this. It's sick."

"Hn. And it's all over a moron." Sasuke muttered as he grabbed Naruto's upper arm and up-righted him fully.

"Ohhhhh," Naruto voiced in wonder as he got his feet under him. "You mean me. Well, screw you, you fucking bastard." The blond stated with a huge smile on his face. He stumbled sideways on uncoordinated feet and planted his sock covered foot into the puddle of puke, sliding sideways in the slick fluid. He let out a deep wail of helplessness as he tipped backwards and stumbled only to feel his back collide with a torso and pale arms catch him under his own. Naruto looked up to see dark eyes glaring down at him, framed in dark hair.

"My hero." Naruto breathed with a drunken grin.

"Don't get used to it. Keep your disgusting hand away from me." Sasuke instructed with a scowl as he helped bring the blond on to his feet. He slung Naruto's clean hand up and around his own shoulder before securing his own around Naruto's waist, supporting the other's weight as they headed to the bathroom. _I guess I'm helping you after all._

The blond hummed as they trudged across the carpet, his head lolling to the side and resting on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke tightened his grip as the blond sagged against him, promising himself that he would erase the feel of Naruto's warm body against his from his mind as soon as realistically possible.

When Naruto stumbled for the third time Sasuke felt his patience wear thin.

"Oi, are your eyes closed?" He demanded as he glanced at the blond. Naruto blinked open dilated baby blue eyes quickly.

"No." He said defensively. "…not any more anyway." He added defiantly.

Sasuke resisted closing his own in exasperation. They eventually made it to the bathroom, Sasuke pushing the door open and unravelling himself from the blond, pushing him into the tiled room.

"Wash your hands and brush your teeth."

"No point." Naruto answered as he wavered on unsteady feet, a tanned hand coming to his mouth.

"Wha-"

"It's round two…!" The blond declared as he propelled himself forward. He dropped to his knees with a loud bang and hugged the toilet rim as he retched.

Sasuke grimaced. "At least you made it to the toilet this time."

"See…" Naruto said, waving his index finger with his head still firmly down the toilet. "There's a silver lining in everything."

Sasuke watched as Naruto puked until there was only bile left. Naruto's t-shirt had ridden up his back and exposed a small sliver of golden skin, not a tan line in sight. Sasuke looked away stubbornly.

"Finished?" He questioned as he watched Naruto unlatch himself from the toilet and lean back against the bath.

The blond groaned pathetically. "I hope so."

"Then wash your hands, brush your teeth."

"No no. I can't move, not yet." He moaned miserably. "This is all Kiba's fault." He deduced with an angry frown.

Sasuke watched the man from his position in the doorway. He didn't owe Naruto anything, he could just leave him here, have the bed for himself. He wasn't very good at sharing anyway. And at least now he knew that there was no one else left to slam the front door.

Sasuke made to turn around and leave.

"Ahh, oi where're you going?" Sasuke glanced back at the disaster on the bathroom floor.

"To bed, where else."

"What, you're gonna leave me here?" Naruto questioned, his voice high in disbelief. "Come on, don't leave me."

Sasuke locked eyes with baby blue and saw the same beaten look he'd seen earlier, before the blond frowned and closed his eyes, waving a limp hand in Sasuke's direction. The expression wiped clean. _That was quick. Almost practised._

"Or go, whatever, doesn't matter to me." Naruto stated flippantly. He dragged the bath mat closer and lowered himself on to his side. "I'll sleep here."

After an internal struggle Sasuke entered the bathroom and roughly righted the blond again, his back resting once more against the bath. The blond had a questioning frown on his face.

"You've got sick on your face." Sasuke stated blandly.

"Gee, dunno how _that_ got there." Naruto said before snorting and laughing. Sasuke ignored him and turned, grabbing a sponge from the sink and wetting it before rubbing some soap across the surface. Once satisfied he knelt next to the blond and took the wrist of the blond's soiled hand into his own, working the sponge over his tanned fingers.

Naruto's hands were a similar size to his own, but tanned, with short bitten nails.

Naruto looked up quizzically. "What're you doing?" He asked, flexing his fingers around Sasuke's unknowingly as his eyes attempted to focus on smouldering black. Sasuke pointedly ignored his gaze.

"What's it look like." He voiced irritably as he worked, disconnecting himself from his thoughts.

"Sponge bath." Naruto said with a snicker. "People pay a lot of money for these, I've heard."

"This is more like you're in a nursing home and you've pissed off your care assistant." Sasuke answered, finally catching Naruto's gaze as he looked up.

He'd always read blue eye's described as calming oceans or cloudless skies. As something cool and serene.

But not Naruto's. They were like the hottest flame, so intense they burned a hole straight through any façade, straight through to the very heart and soul, if given enough time.

Sasuke slapped the sponge onto Naruto's cheek, causing blue eyes to snap shut with a hiss from their owner. The pale man wiped Naruto's face roughly, the other moaning as his blond hair was pushed back.

"You don't need to be so rough." Naruto snapped as he shook his head. Sasuke grunted and stood up to rinse the sponge before kneeling again to wipe the soap residue off of the blond. Naruto sat still and let him do it, frowning with closed eyes as Sasuke wiped his face. Once satisfied Sasuke flung the sponge back into the sink and brought his eyes back to the blond.

He reached forward with long tentative fingers and brushed damp blond locks off Naruto's tanned forehead, unable to help himself. His skin was warm.

Naruto moaned lightly and Sasuke yanked his hand away, causing Naruto to frown.

"No give those back, they're like fucking ice and I'm on fire, jesus." Naruto groaned, peeling one eye open to glare unsuccessfully at the other.

"It's just the alcohol." Sasuke said as he twisted round and sat down next to the blond, a short distance between them. Naruto flung his head to the side and studied Sasuke's profile.

"Why are you even helping me?"

"Because pathetic self-pity is only amusing for so long." Sasuke said dryly.

"So you're not mad anymore?" Naruto questioned. "I thought I pissed you off. I actually do feel bad. I was just so pissed about the situation with Hinata, it kinda spilled over to you."

Sasuke turned his head to Naruto. "I really don't care." He voiced neutrally. Naruto snorted.

"Oh sure, that's why you stormed off to bed."

"You never shut up."

"Yeah I do. When I'm sleeping." Naruto quipped.

"Go to sleep then."

"I want to know that you're not mad at me anymore first." The blond voiced stubbornly, pouting slightly. "I know you're a good guy really, behind all that."

"I'm not mad, but I will be if you don't stop spouting bullshit." _You don't know what I've done._

"God sake. You're so unfriendly. Can't you just relax? For five minutes?" Naruto asked, exasperated.

Sasuke mused silently to himself for a moment, letting Naruto's gaze burn into his face. "I could. But where's the fun in that." He finally answered with a smirk as he met Naruto's eyes. He watched as Naruto swallowed, his mouth slack as he looked at the dark haired man.

"Holy. Shit."

"What?" Sasuke asked with a scowl.

"Holy shit!" Naruto said again as he brought his fist down onto the bathroom floor, creating a bang.

" _What?_ " Sasuke demanded again, irritable.

"Shit! _Shit!_ You bastard!"

"Naruto what the fuck-"

"Man, you're so lucky! If we could just work on your shitty attitude you would be made. Shit."

Sasuke relaxed slightly but kept his narrowed gaze on Naruto. Naruto sighed as he brought his lazy smile back round to Sasuke, a sadness touching the edges.

"But it's not as easy as that, huh?" He questioned. "Everyone always thinks it's so easy, 'till it happens to them."

"…until what happens?" Sasuke asked, unable to help himself.

"Something out of your control."

"Is this about your girlfriend?" Unimpressed, Sasuke lifted an eyebrow at the blond.

Naruto blew a childish raspberry as his forehead creased.

"No. That's easy in comparison."

"Idiot, you're not making sense." Naruto shrugged and closed his eyes as he leant his head back against the bath tub. "In comparison to what?"

"Death." Naruto breathed out in a long exhale.

Sasuke's eyes drew wide as he studied the blond, thoughts whipping around his head and forming a hurricane of confusion and intrigue. _Death?_

"Naruto…" _Why are you determined to help me?_

The blond let out a loud snore.

Xxxxx

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Comments are always welcome, thank you for your kind support 3

If you have any oneshot prompts that you'd like to share, please do!


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